My Cadaverous Gentleman
by BamYurrDead
Summary: The once famous Opera Palais Garnier that was once burned to the ground is back alive with new hope for a generation of fine arts. Now a finest art college in the world, the Phantom is revived from a struggling actress's voice. First POTO story
1. Chapter 1

My Cadaverous Gentleman

"_Over the years, the Palais Garnier had became a rundown building that no one dares enter in fear of being taken by the Phantom or of falling into the Siren's lake. The damage is still seen from 200 years ago when the building was burnt down. The statues that were once of golden parlor, now reduced to molten lumps of twisted metal or chipped rock. The beautiful white stones have scorch marks and windows that were broken from children's rocks being thrown at them._

_When the 21st century came, a man decided that he could turn it into a fine art college slash theatre for aspiring actors, dancers, musicians, artists, etc., that this famous building may thrive again. Dean Deacon had purchased the building in 2001 and started to reconstruct it with a dedicated work force. They never did find the famous tunnels the Phantom used to get around the theatre. They even checked the pillar where Box 5 use to stand, the stage floor, and the second landing of the lobby's staircase._

_Over five years statues, windows, building, and theatre came back to life. Though a new statue was erected, in the shape of a music box. A mask and a rose of stone lay at the base of the music box with the mask leaning against the box. The entire building was remodeled with a modern twist for the 1890s décor.* The ballet dormitories were turned into several dorms for students to stay in. The dressing rooms were left alone besides putting in modern plumbing, electrical lighting, and touch up from years of mold._

_Though rumor has it, M. Dean had locked up the room that is believed to be Christine's Daaé. The room wasn't touched in fear of upsetting the Phantom and cause trouble while the building was being renovated. Workers have seen amber pinpricks before the sun had completely sank beneath the skyline, hearing voices, when someone came too close to Daaé's old room with a strong smell of roses coming from underneath the door._

_M. Dean had picked only the best teachers he could for each of the classes. Madame Claudine was chosen for the artisans, Herr Faust for the orchestra, Mademoiselle Jeanette for the ballet corps, Mister Graves for acting, and a Master Risqué for the chorus. Each had their office in the building, but went home when the school hours have ended._

_But as I write this down, two amber pricks glare at me in the dark while I type this down for all to those to witness how this story came to be, a modern version of drama that is exposed to horror, pain, and romance. I must stop my notes for now, for _He_ is here and his fingers pry mine off the keyboard. For now, I will tell you how I came across this strange man and manage to land a position here at the world-renowned-"_

The screen is left blinking as the amber pricks stare down at the machine. A hand wraps around the author's mouth so no scream can be heard from their mouth. A menacing smile flashes through the darkness as the amber gaze dragged their victim away.

* * *

><p>I look like a fool and feel like a fool as my bell covered feet went to center stage with a puppet on my hand. My face half covered with a pink and purple diamond patterned mask, my Jester's hat bobbed as well as my feet did. I silently face-palming myself for doing this, "Hey Maggie here's an idea! Since no one wants to be an idiotic fool you should do and show them what an actress you can be!" My not so brilliant idea landed me in purple and pink leotard with bells covering my feet and head.<p>

The orchestra tolling out with its bells and the chorus reaching its crescendo, I put on my best falsely smile as I cart wheeled onto the stage. I sang the part Clopin once the chorus was done and told the story of the Bell Ringer of Notre Dame. I inquired the pretend audience about it and talked to the puppet as I told it as the chorus voices rang as I told them the Gypsy running from Frollo as she tried to save her babe from the horrible fate.

When the bells went off again, I took cue to finish up my story. I leered at the imaginary audience in a creepy way, letting the light hood my already masked eyes.

"_And Frollo gave the child a cruel name__  
><em>A name that means half-formed, Quasimodo<em>  
><em>Now here is a riddle to guess if you can<em>  
><em>Sing the bells of Notre Dame<em>  
><em>Who is the monster and who is the man?"<em>_

I held the note while the chorus jumped, then jumped in with them as they finished.

"_Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells__  
><em>Bells, bells, bells, bells<em>_

_Bells of Notre Dame!"_

I hit the high note from a soprano on accident when I heard my voice went higher then I was allowed. I heard, "cut! Cut, cut! You did it again Weiss!" I sighed heavily as Graves came stomping on the stage. "You sing with the chorus yes?" I nodded as his white eyebrows flew to his forehead, making his face older. I inwardly cringed as he began to chew me out in front of the entire student body.

He was a stout man that was on the portly side; his Latin accent assailed my ears. His baldhead was flashing in the lights as the stagehands began to dim them for the day. "Yes sir." Even though I was a bit taller then his 4'0 foot stature, my five-foot stature had me bowing my head in defeat. "Good, now we will work on it tomorrow afternoon in my office, you are not part of chorus! You are destined to be an actress so start acting like one!" He smiled as he patted my shoulder, "good girl. Now I'm off to home for rest," he glared at me, "I expect you do same, now shoo!"

He waved his hands at me while I retreated to the dormitories. As I walked to them I passed Daaé's dressing room. There was a tiny shrine dedicated to her and the Phantom, parts of broken pieces of old masks and wilted roses decorated outside the door, along with a shattered mirror. Hazel eyes gazing back at me in a tired, resigned way as a messy bun of light brown hair shown from the side. "You can't even act like a fool onstage, how sad is that? Twenty-three years old, in one of the best fine-art colleges in the world and still get no attention no matter how hard you try." I said to the mirror that only sat there with me looking right back at me.

I paused for a second, taking in the musty smell of roses. There was something else in the mixture, a masculine tang. A smidge of old parchment and candle wax were mixed in it. I'm pretty sure that wasn't there before and I don't think the males here do anything to dedicate to the little shrine. The women put little things on it in hopes to bring luck when onstage.

I climbed the stairs into the loft of the dormitories where the young women resigned after the sessions were over. I heard giggling as I entered my dorm that I shared with Ginger. I ignored the four other girls in the dorm and went into the bathroom to change into some yoga pants and a soft t-shirt. When I came out, my gingered hair colored roommate was spinning a booze bottle in the middle of circle of young women that were centered around it. I guess Ginger had a little too much and laughed. When she spun the bottle it landed on me and giggled in drunken bliss.

Don't get me wrong I love Ginger with all my heart, but I realized that she couldn't hold her alcohol. She has a certain how do I put it? A Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde sort personality when she had too much. And please don't ask me on how I know this, all that you need to know that involved hard vodka, garters, and a certain reporter that had would only take monetary bride.

"Ohhh! Maggie's turn for a dare!" Jenny hiccupped as the others followed in pursuit. I rolled my eyes, ready for bed. Two of the girls latched onto me and sat me on the floor; Ginger snickered as she swayed from side to side. Her emerald eyes dilated as she thought of nasty dare for me. She smiled evilly, "Magdalana." I flinched at my real name, knowing this won't be good. "I dare you to stay, *hic* to stay in Christine's old room for the night! But you have, *hic* s-sing in the mirror before midnight."

My jaw slacking and paled as she told me this! No one was allowed in that room, no one! "Ginger M. Deacon would kill all of us if we do this stupid dare! I would rather sleep in the catwalks then go in there!" She looked like she thought about for a second, and then changed her mind. "Nah, and besides, Nikki can pick any lock. That's why s-she's here." The blond, Nikki, smiled shyly before mouthing the words sorry to me; Ginger commanded two of our friends to take me to Christine's shrine.

I struggled as they lugged me down the stairs. "Ginger! You don't know what your doing! Stop the madness before we get caught!" Nikki was in front with a set of tools while she picked the lock. While she messing with the lock, the smell of masculinity and roses picked up. That was not good as I tried to tell them it was a bad idea. Nikki unlocked it and pushed the rusted the door open.

All except Nikki smiled drunkenly before throwing me into the room with a flashlight. They shut the door and locked me in while I pounded on the door to be let out. "Maggie you better sing in front of the mirror before midnight or we will leave you all night and day." I heard giggling as they took a few steps away from the door. Not bothering to turn on the flashlight or look around the room, I rounded to the mirror. It was only a foot wide and reached to the floor to the wall. Not knowing what to sing, I chose the song "God Help the Outcasts" from_ The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ poured out of my mouth.

I sung to the best of my abilities, with nervousness lacing my voice of being left alone in the dark. Once I was finished, two amber pinpricks flashed in the dark behind the mirror. The smell picked up as the mirror began move from its place on the wall. "Come to me Christine, together we will have Paris at our feet!" A voice called out from behind the wall. A tiny screech passed my lips as I ran back to the door to get out. Feet started to flee from the door and echoed outside the door. Only when I saw that the amber pinpricks were bobbing in the dark, I realized that they were eyes! Oh my God, the Phantom is real!

I screamed as I clawed at the door trying to get out! A flash of white mask was shone when my foot slipped on the flashlight, my heel clicked on the on button. I really don't know what happened next, I think I may have cracked my head on the floor. Only now a haze shrouded my vision; he lifted me as I blacked out. The specter's arms smelt strong of death and roses, after that I could not remembered what had happened next.

* * *

><p>*Please note that there are no microphones in live theatre and I don't intend on any coming into the story unless it becomes a necessity.<p>

**Also, there are certain roles in this story. For example when someone takes up an actor. Their job is to learn to sing, dance, and of course act on stage. If a job is required onstage and in part of play, opera, musical, etc., then they are required to act quickly. Dancers and singers are required to act. Actors take on the three roles (Singing, dancing, and acting), which makes it a more advance position for anyone in the theatre to do.

Thank you Chaos Catalyst for showing me some errors in this chapter! It was a big help!

BYD


	2. Chapter 2

**-EDITED: 7/25/13-**

**Little Luxa: It's an honor to have my first review for my POTO story from you! I think the glowing amber eyes give it more of a dramatic affect.**

**Phelicia: I'm glad I caught your attention. As you requested, another chapter!**

**Hugo Purist: I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter. I'm reading the Hunchback right now for a jump-start on my scholar's bowl reading list.**

**SexyKnickers: Love the name!**

For unknown reason, I felt as if my head was being split in two. I heard voices above as something patted my face trying to revive me. Why was my – oh wait never mind. I know where I am, onstage with my left shoulder stinging horribly. I heard a step-clop on stage; I could barely open my eyes when ice-cold water was poured onto my face. My eyes flashed open as I sat then regretted it as my stomach churned by the sudden movement.

I groaned as I tried to get rid of this impending headache away. I put my head between my knees while the chatter picked up. Someone nudged my left shoulder; I flinched in pain and rubbed it. I saw the gentle face of Master Risqué checking to see if I was okay. He was sitting on his haunches with his cane in hand, his brown hair tied back to the nape of his neck as usual. A bucket was by him, that's when I felt yesterday's lunch come back up. I quickly grabbed and hurled the remaining contents of my stomach into the bucket.

I heard some disgusted sounds resound through the theatre. Once I pulled my face from the bucket, Master Risqué's brown eyes scanned for any damage. Once satisfied he pulled and had on that chiding smile of his, everyone loved this man for a reason. He never raised his voice at you if you pulled an error and corrected you in the teacher tone that didn't imply you were an idiot.

"Miss Weiss, how did you wind up on stage? You know practice was over at five o'clock yesterday." I nodded, keeping my vomit breath from assailing his face. I was about to ask why I ended up here when Ginger came to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders in a friendly way. "Hey Mag, sorry my friends and I thought it would be funny for you to wake up onstage! You know, all in good fun!" I knitted my eyebrows and I realized I was still in my clothes from yesterday.

She was looking me dead in the eye, the expression saying, "don't you dare ask what happened last night. You know what happened." I put my acting skills and smiled in a fond way, my eyes were boring holes into her in rage as went along with this. "You and your mischievous ways!" I chuckled showing that there was nothing there and everything was fine. Risqué looked skeptically at me then shrugged as he got onto his feet. "Come on Gin, help me with my costume real quick." I chirped merrily, let it sweetening my tone of voice.

As we climbed backstage to the loft, I felt being stalked through the area. I picked up the pace and trotted to our dorm, whatever was watching me intensified. Ginger opened the door and let me through then shut us both in. As soon as the door clicked, I glared at her and shoved her into the door. "What the heck Ginger!? Do you know what had happened to me when you and your friends locked me in Christine's room?" Her eyes were a bit glassy as she groaned and rubbed her face.

"Please keep your voice down. If you don't want to get in trouble by anyone, let me step away from the door and let us lower our voices!" She moaned and flopped onto her twin bed, "it was a stupid mistake. We were stressed, so Jenny smuggled some scotch from her Dad's place and Jenny, Nikki, Karen, Holly, and I drank a bit too much…" I started banging my head in the wall at their stupidity. I turned to her and shook her once, "do you realize we both could have been kicked out of here? You for being intoxicated on college property, kidnapping, and breaking and entering into a room we were not, I repeat _**NOT**_, suppose to go in!"

I stamped into our bathroom to wash off the dust bunnies and cobwebs that was embedded into my hair at the moment. "I would have been out of here because I was in the Forbidden Room with the Phantom breathing down my neck!" I heard her bed cover rustle as she shifted on the bed. "You saw the Phantom?" I glanced in the mirror to see I had her full attention, "I don't know! I was scared beyond belief, I was in the dark and I was breaking the rules! You know I'm a goody-two shoes."

"I'm sorry to ask you this, but did we make you sing in front of the mirror?" I saw her pale a bit, I slipped off my over shirt, with my tank top showing from the over shirt, and turned to her. "Yeah, why?" She covered her face and muttered, "oh God. We are _sssoooo _going to die!" I raised an eyebrow at her sudden fearful demeanor. "Are we going to die because M. Deacon found out the locks were undone?" She looked at me like I was an idiot, I sighed and sat on the bed. "Alright spill. You owe me this much already."

"You have heard the Phantom of the Opera legend right? Who am I kidding? The Opera Ghost is legend in the theatre business. Any who, rumor has it that the room M. Deacon keeps the door locked on fear that someone would be stupid enough to sing in front of the mirror." I lay on my stomach as she sat up, "the same mirror the Phantom used to teach Christine. So? What does that have to do with me? All I did was sing in front of the mirror to get out there and I wind up on the stage."

She stood to pick up a brush off the dresser and headed toward the bathroom to check her hair. "I thought you knew that, if your voice is good enough the mirror reveals the Phantom and bada bing, bada boom, Phantom is back in business. And since you were the one to sing to the mirror, he'll be after you instead any other girl on the site."

She glanced back at me, she squinted her eyes at me; she put the brush on the bathroom counter top. She came over to the bed and pulled one of my straps over, "I thought you said you would never get a tattoo." I pulled away trying to get a glimpse at the marking on my skin. "What are you talking about? I hate tattoos! They're hard to get rid of and it's showy!" She grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into the bathroom. She turned me around and showed me the offensive marking on my left shoulder blade.

My mouth dropped as I licked my index finger and tried to rub it. It wasn't coming off, "you got to be kidding me! He marked me! He freakin' marked me!" The skin around it was still red and the tattoo ink was recent too. Ginger started to have a spaz attack and the words "Oh my God" and "Dead" was spitting out of mouth faster then her texting, and she can text a paragraph on her phone in about three seconds.

The tattoo was a red rose with a black ribbon wrapped the stem, just like the one on the statue out front of the theatre. It covered my shoulder blade from top to bottom; it looked like it was going to pop right off my skin. Her panicking was driving insane as I slapped her back real hard in order to bring her out of it.

"Listen be quiet for a second!" She stilled and looked at me with panicked eyes as she tried to pry my grip off her arms. "We aren't going to say anything to anyone, no matter the circumstances, and just go on with our normal lives. If anything happens, then we know this Phantom is real and we will have to acknowledge this. Now, we have to go to practice." I grimaced at the scene where I have with Natalie who was playing Esmeralda. Since I was Clopin, I had to disappear while she danced in front Frollo during a small festival.

I let go of her as I went to the bathroom to change into my Jester outfit and mask while trying to cover up the mark from anyone to see. I finished dressing and passed her as she stood shaking in the same spot I left her while her eyes darted across the room restlessly. I snorted in disgust as I slammed the door as I headed down the stage to do the festival scene with Natalie. As I passed Christine's room the locks were back in place as if no one had ever touched them. I felt a breeze that had the rose scent with the masculinity tang to it. Call me crazy, but I thought I heard a male voice say "Mine". I shivered and ran to the stage area.

* * *

><p>"<em>Come one, come all!<br>See the finest girl in France  
>Make an entrance to entrance<br>Dance la Esmeralda  
>Dance!"<em>

I sang as I threw down the smoke ball on the stage then moved swiftly away as Natalie took my spot to dance her gypsy dance. She inhaled too much of the smoke and started coughing like mad. "Enough! Enough I can't breathe or see!" I sighed as I came back onto the stage as my bells rang throughout the theatre. Her black hair was fluffed out and an orange bandanna was to hold some of her hair back. Her ice blue eyes looked at me in complete disgust.

Her German accent has lined heavily as she spoke, "I don't know why we must use these things! They make me cough! And I can't see where I will land! Tell this fool to stop throwing them directly at me!" My lips twitched in annoyance, I let out a big calming sigh as I saw I was taking the blame once again. "Of course Frauline Natalie, everything is the fool's fault. I unfortunately bear the markings of one, so I guess everything is to be blamed on me." I muttered in German so only she would understand me.

She glared at before she pointed at me again, "watch your place fool! I happen to be the Prima Ballerina! And where do you stand? A lowly actress dressed in fool's clothing, you have nothing that can be of any use!" She shouted back in her native tongue, I stood up straighter as I prowled to her with my aggression suddenly spiking up.

It didn't help to be menacing while my bells rang as I walked to her. "Just because I'm not a Prima anything, I know how to treat other people! I wouldn't let all of this spoiling go to your head, you just got lucky because someone thought you looked like a stumbling calf!" I told her back, she looked indignant as she came forward to slap me with her talons for fingernails. Before she was a foot away, a sand bag fell directly in front of me, scaring the day lights out of her.

We both looked up to see no one in the catwalks, Herr Faust hop onto the stage from the orchestra pit to check the damage on the stage while Mademoiselle Jeanette checked on her Prima Ballerina. Herr Faust started calling out vulgar oaths as he blamed the idiotic stagehands for leaving ropes unchecked. Jeanette's long blond hair bobbed as she comforted the crocodile-teared Natalie, "It's all right Natalie. It was just a small malfunction, you're not hurt."

I went to the sandbag to see the rope was cut, it wasn't frayed or anything. "Herr Faust!" He stopped his tirade to use those slate grey eyes on me, "I don't think this rope is old." He came over to check it, he grabbed the rope and examined closer to see that it was indeed cut. We both looked up to see two amber pinpricks quickly vanish into the recess of the catwalks. Herr Faust and I knew what had happened, he was back. Only to prove he was back was an envelope that was falling from the blackness above us.


	3. Chapter 3

**EDITED: 7/25/13**

**Chapter one has been updated and re-edited, so if some information is confusing you, please refer back to chapter one. Thank you for all the reviews!**

"So basically all the teachers freaked out and now you and your colleagues can't enter the building until they find the said source from where this mysterious letter came from?" My somewhat portly companion asked as we sat out front of _La Maison du Chocolat_. He was munching on one of their famous eclairs, with the strawberry cream gushing out of it while I lamented my story of what happened.

Lou Molyneux was a reporter and was skeptical about my incident with the Phantom. His feet were propped on the cafe's table and we were people watching. I sipped on my coffee as the breeze tried to blow my beret from head. He pushed up his round glasses on top of his straight nose as he thought about my story. I sat my cup back on the table as I studied his features.

His brown curly hair curled tightly around his scalp that ran into side burns. He had on his reporter/ critic look as that was deeply in thought, a place I learned never to bug him in. I smoothed out my cowl-neck, short-sleeved sweater and patted my jean-clad legs. His blackish-brown beady eyes were just staring blankly at the building that was in front of us.

He puffed out his cheeks, and then blew out the air he was holding. "You do know Leroux was a reporter right?" I rolled my eyes; I took my bag and drew out my newly purchased book, _Le fantôme de l'Opéra_. "No really? I didn't bother reading the first few chapters and foreward to find out that he was a reporter and a theatre critic." I replied back as I flashed the book in front of him.

He just looked at me before he grabbed my coffee cup and took a long drink from it. He swallowed, "you must be really scared about all this Phantom crap, your back bone is showing again." He smiled lazily as he took my coffee and leaned back into his chair, "the last time I saw it was when you had your hair dyed red and went by the name of Madeline to get someone out of revealing some juicy gossip from a said theatre critic." I blushed crimson; embarrassed that he still remembered that moment. "Though I don't blame you for using that name Maggie, it took a moment to realize that Madeline was a later version of your name Magdalana."

He took another swig of the coffee before he reached into his coat's pocket for his flask. He had on a light brown jacket with his press pass showing between the gap of his coat. Underneath the coat was a white Polo shirt and khaki colored pants. He poured whiskey into the coffee cup and took a long drink until you heard a dry suck of air that the cup was now empty. "You do realize that there are two theatre colleges here in Paris? And the one I'm talking about has archives about the _Palais Garnier_ and Gaston Leroux."

Oh, I knew the college he was talking about. Only that anyone from _Garnier_ went to that college and try to get information from that place was was automatically thrown out and chased away. The _Conservatoire de Paris _is a college that practices only music and dance; with _Garnier _you had a broader horizon. You have acting, dancing, music, and the arts; it runs like a regular theatre to show you what has to be done. That everything must be done as a team or it will never work out. I thacked my head on the table in a defeated way, "I'm dead. No one can go into their library without getting shanked and hanged."

I heard Lou scoot his chair back and walk over to my side of the table. He put his large hand on my shoulder as 5'6 look down at me. "Come on Mag, we're going to the park. Maybe bugging the old people and trying to pet a pigeon will cheer you up." If its one thing, I love pigeons and doves. My uncle raised racing pigeons back in the United States and we always messed with them when they came back home for the day. Plus, they are the only birds that love to be petted.

When I got up to my feet my phone started to vibrate in my pocket. Lou picked up my purse from the back of the chair and was holding out for me. I flipped open my phone to see that Ginger had left a text message for me. I grabbed my purse and put it around my shoulder. He led me through the crowds as I read the message from her.

_Deacon is mad beyond belief, keep away from the theatre until I text you back. Odd thing though is that the door is locked as if no one had opened and yet from what I heard is that strange things are starting to happen, again. He asking for the name of his new "Christine"._

I showed the text to him as we entered the park and went to a bench where an oak tree gave us shade. He nodded and had a glint in his eye, "You know Mags, I might become the new Leroux if you keep this up." I swatted his arms as I lay in wait for the pigeons to start pecking at the ground in front of us. "Please, if I'm still alive for that long." My phone started to vibrate again, he looked confused at me for a moment before he got on his phone and started texting to someone.

It was from Ginger again, I saw errors and it looked like it was in a hurry.

_You and Lou mead to watch out. Collin said he sawed a shawdow creeping out the back floor. He hought he sawed a white mazk on the shawdow's faze._

She had crappy spelling when she was frightened and this showed she was terrified. "Lou, I think I'm not the only freaked out here. Gin spazzed out in her text she just sent me." He shut his phone with a click, "look you know Deacon is superstitious just like you."

I swatted his shoulder, "he's a devoted Catholic. Of course he's going to believe in demons."

He frowned as rubbed his shoulder, "yes, I'm not stupid. I happen to do my homework on people before I report it. Maybe it was just some punk kid trying to get a rise out of you and Gin. I mean, you can find any white mask and cape in any costume shop in Paris. Or some hobo dressed up as the Phantom, I'm I would be sure to keep up the legend of the Phantom if it meant it would keep out curious peepers from trying to get into the room that was staying in."

I snorted, and then stopped when I saw some old couple drop some bread crumbs on the sidewalk. A flock of pigeons descended on the bread crumbs and I pounced on the first pigeon that was within my grasp. The rest flew off in a flurry while I clutched one to me as its big eyes looked around dumbly and panicky.

The couple looked away in disgust and went the other way. The bird cooed while it tried to escape my grasp, "I'm pretty sure it wasn't a hobo. The clothes looked like it belonged in the 1890's high fashion in Paris. Plus there was the smell of roses; the person didn't smell like they slept in the sewers or dumpsters." It pecked at my hand and let it go, getting ready for round two for pigeon catching.

I heard his phone chirped as he got another text message, he flipped open his phone and started texting back to the person. "Then it must be some stagehand that found the tunnels and used it to scare you to death. The make-up department probably has the requirements to do a complete face change. I mean look at what they did to Lon Chaney, he was the Man of a Thousand Faces," he replied back to me as sent the message off.

I leaned back into the bench, trying to get more details from that night. Something occurred to me, "have they made contacts that glowed in the dark?" The reporter sighed and started to type something on his phone, he found a page on Google search page. It showed an online shop that sold theatrical contact lenses. I grabbed the phone and started browse through the online selection they had. "Maybe your reading too much into this Maggie. You're stressed out from the play and maybe you might be having some hallucinations."

I looked away from the phone and glared at him, my friend since last year thinking I'm finally going crazy from the stress Graves might be putting on me. Telling me that I needed improvement, I needed to be showier, more aggression needed to shown onstage. My patience was waning on my friend, I huffed. "Well _Monsieur _Molyneux, if you don't believe me, then try and get into that library! See if you can find any evidence that they may have over looked to see if Leroux was crazy or not."

I turned my back to him and showed him my back, I pulled the sleeves of the sweater all the way back until you could the rose's head peaking out from underneath the shirt. He looked closer, and then touched the redness of my irritated skin from where I had been marked. "And you know I hate tattoos, I don't like to be showy with paintings on my skin." He pulled back as his phone played _La Liste_ by Rose, telling him someone was calling him.

"Molyneux here."…. "Hey Claire I need a favor."…. "No you still owe me that favor or do I need to put an Oops! Moment of you in my review page?"…. "Good now were getting somewhere. I need access to the Music Academy Archives"…. His face twisted into pure annoyance as I heard squawking at the end of the other line. "I don't care on how you get my access there! You always find some loop hole on how to get into places like this!"…. "I might have found the scoop of the century and if you want a good selling paper…." He smiled and mouthed to me, "hook, line, and sinker." "Yes Leroux, Theatre season is coming up and why not celebrate it with Leroux on his discoveries of the Phantom of the Opera?"…. "Good, alright. I'll be there around six to pick up the pass to get in the library. Thanks Claire."

He shut the phone with a satisfied laugh, "Claire works for the paper and she goes to the campus with the archives. Shes a cello player, and she has a cute older sister that could charm cobra with that flute of hers." I lunged at him and hugged as tightly as my arms could go around his round middle section. "Thank you Lou! If you didn't have a group of fans that wouldn't kill me, I'd kiss you!" I got up and just started praise him with all might.

He got up from the bench and twirled me around until I was dizzy, I fell on my bottom and looked at him with the world spinning. "Ah, you could honor me by getting me a spectacular seat for me in one of the boxes." I smiled, "I'm so happy I could probably sing the _Berliner Luf_t at the top of my lungs for the whole world to hear!" He wrapped an arm around as we left the park, "you must be excited then, you just offered to sing an operatta in German."

"I'm just glad to have a reporter for a friend, sometimes Gin not being to hold her liquor might have been a good thing." We stopped at the gate to see two amber pinpricks staring out of an alley from across the street, it was five o'clock and the sun was beginning to set. A street lamp turned on as we both saw a white mask covered the entire face with exception of the area around mouth area on the figure's face. The figure looked taller than Lou and had something in his hands. A car passed us quickly and the figure was gone from its place.

We both dashed across the street to the alley with a few taxis blaring their horns at us. When we approached the alley we looked around to see if there was a way to escape the alley without running to the back of it. Lou went to the back of the alley to see that there was nothing there that could be used as an escape route. I looked around the front of the alley to see if there was maybe a manhole he could have used as an escape route.

Lou came back to the front with me and just shook his head, "nothing. Not even a fire escape. Hey whats that by your feet?" We looked down to see a rose, not a red one this time, but a true blue rose with a black satin ribbon tied around the stem. My hands starting shaking as I picked up the flower. I looked it over to see if it was really a white rose dyed blue, freaky thing, it wasn't dyed.

Lou looked at it closer too, "well I be damned. A blue rose, not some knock off dyed white rose," he let off a laugh, " a grown blue rose!" He saw my face and grabbed my shoulders before my legs buckled beneath me. We walked to a bus bench while I tried not faint from this. He sat me down and pushed my head in-between my knees, "take deep breaths and try to keep calm. Give me your phone, I'll call Gin to see if its safe to back to the theatre." I dug into my bag and handed him the phone as he quickly called Gin. I just looked at the blue rose and I knew what a blue rose and black ribbon meant.

The rose color meant to signify a dream, nothing real. The black ribbon said something different, death. Showing that this wasn't a dream, he was real. He was back, and nothing will stop him from achieving his fantasy, finally getting his Angel of Music back into his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**-EDITED: 7/25/13-**

**If you want to bash my story and tell me all what is wrong with it, then fine go ahead. Tell me its crap and keep PMing that my character doesn't make sense, that my college idea is idiotic. It lowers my self-esteem, it makes feel me awful and that my story is stupid. It's my first Phan-fic and I get bashed for it, once something is written down in a PM, I can't get it out of my head. I want to ignore it, but it just sits on my shoulder saying, "remember what he/she said about…."I can't even enjoy writing the story if someone keeps telling its not good enough. I want to write this story down my way.**

**On the lighter side, I want to thank those who have supported me this far. It really means a lot to me that it's not silly and to keep going on! Thank you!**

**Watergoddesskasey**** – **Thank you so much!

**Inujisan**** – **Lou is the kind of guy that wouldn't leave me alone until he was written down. So here he is, thinking a hobo is playing the Phantom.

**Little Luxa**** – **Waffles! Yay! (Sneaks a waffle to the pretend Phantom Hobo) What's wrong if the Phantom was really a hobo? He would be a good stalkery Phantom; only he would smell funny and be trying to get food out of the kitchen.

**SexyKnickers**** – **Here is another chapter for you! To tell you the truth I didn't know it turn out to be that intense.

**LadynahEireann**** – **Oh they will, they will. Shall we say he will go beyond the Point of No Return?

**Later that night**

I slipped on my sweat pants and soft t-shirt for bed for tonight. Ginger had grabbed some of her stuff and was sleeping at Jenny's place for the night, leaving me alone in our room by myself. I sat on the bed and rubbed my face tiredly and thought about what Deacon had said about all this; that it's my fault for awakening this demon and unleashing upon the theatre once more.

He clenched his rosary the entire time while telling me how a stupid girl like me open the door, how Graves looked like he wanted me to be gone from his sight. Only Master Risqué looked at pitifully at me, the compassionate teacher that managed to get Deacon to give me one more chance to end this nightmare. If I didn't, I wouldn't be allowed to step on Garnier property without having being arrested on the spot.

Even the Prima of the dance, chorus, painter, and actor wouldn't look at me. I was basically cast out of the system like an unwanted rag doll. That rose, the blue rose that Lou and I found in the alley was still in my possession the entire time. The coloring of it was just plain unnatural, Lou even asked some of the florist if it was possible to have a blue rose that wasn't dyed. They all told him that it wasn't possible, that you had to dye the rose in order to obtain the blue color.

I lay back into the bed when my phone vibrated; I rolled over onto my stomach to reach the nightstand to get the phone. Lou's number was flashing on the screen, I hit the receive button to hear Lou whispering into the earpiece.

"Maggie? You awake?"

"Yes I'm awake. I just got out of a major chew session with Deacon about an hour ago."

"Let me guess, he stoned you, then threw you out to the rest of your colleges to be crucified."

I rolled onto my back with the phone still pressed to my ear. "Ha ha, very funny. So did you find anything about…."?

He sighed, "no I didn't. It's believed that the French government tried to stifle Leroux from trying to get the belief that the Phantom didn't exist and that the accidents were mechanical ones. So in other words, I'm trying really hard to find those no-no files from the vault here at the academy."

"Not real? Please tell me you're joking me, there's ton of evidence that he might be real! Even the older members won't talk about it!"

It hits me, the older members! I just have to find some history on some of them that might be still alive to remember some of the past events!

"Hey Mags, are you still there?" I heard a door slam in the background, "Damn! Look Maggie I'll have to call you later about this, right now security guards are making rounds and I have to make myself scarce, talk to you later."

The phone line was disconnected and I heard the phone end the call. I threw my phone back on the nightstand along with the flower. It was lying on its side; its petals were closed from the lack of water. "You know, if you weren't dying you be really pretty rose." I got up from the bed to grab a plastic cup from the bathroom and filled it up with water. I took a pair of nail clippers off the dresser and cut the stem at angle.

Before I put the rose into the cup I took a delicate sniff from the bud, I sneezed from the smell and started to get dizzy. The rose dropped to the floor while I fell with half my body on the bed and the other onto the floor. I tried to get up, only to have my legs turn into jelly. "What's going on?" The dizzy sensation got stronger and for a second I thought I saw a masked figure staring down at me while I clocked out.

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><p>I groaned when I came to it, only this time the air felt staler and that this time it was different. The stage groaned as if stage props were shifted around. I sat up to see that it looked like the stage was on fire with red and orange paper flames. It felt really warm, as if it really were producing heat. I realize I was wearing a black peasant skirt with a blue ruffled corset. I reached to scratch my head to feel that it was pulled tight into a ponytail with long, sausage like curls falling from it. Funny thing was my feet were bare as I looked about the stage.<p>

"Hello? Anyone here? If this a prank its not very funny." I timidly asked from the stage, only to answer with a sinister laugh.

"I assure you Magdalana that this isn't a prank, it is real just like you and I." The voice sounded as if was behind me, I turned to see only the amber pinpricks. I gasped and tried to run to the other side of the stage only to have the paper flames turn into flames of death. I ran back to the center stage, only to run into a solid mass.

A pair of hands caught my wrists and I looked to see a black painted porcelain mask with the amber eyes looking into my hazel ones. He wore a white shirt that exposed his chest and a pair of black pants. I tried to shake out of his grasp while he just stood there as if any of this did not affect him. His grip tightened as I struggled to get away, "not what you expected to find in the tomb Magdalana?" His face came close to mine, the smell of death wafted around his being.

"What did you expect to find in that haunted tomb Magdalana? Unwanted memories that are best left in the tombs to rot, a chance at wanted stardom, or perhaps wanting to see if the infamous Phantom of the Opera really did exist?" He came close with that lipless mouth was near the shell of my ear, I jerked back only to see that my hands were trapped in his Punjab lasso.

"I didn't expect anything! I didn't want to be shove in there, I didn't want to sing in front of that cursed mirror, and more importantly I didn't want to get knocked out and be marked by a man who was suppose to be dead over 200 years ago! And besides, I'm not Christina; I come from Germany on my father's side of the family!" I started walking backwards to get some space away from him only to have him stand in the same spot while I tried to loosen my hands from his lasso.

He slowly moved his head to the side and his mouth turned up into a smile, "you say that you don't want to become one of Paris's greatest singers? That you are nothing, not even worth a polish to see if you really a diamond in the rough; Christine was like this, she trusted her Angel of Music." My movement ceased, he went on, "why not trust yours?"

I laughed a mocking laugh, "you know what is great about the 21st century? You learn about stranger danger and right now everything is telling me you're not something to mess with. And who drugs the person who you are supposed to love? Uh, no one that I know of, because it's all about trust and you're stalking me like a piece of meat!"

The paper flames began to cackle as I saw his amber eyes began to grow darker with anger. I felt the heat lick my back as I leapt back to get away from the flames. "A fool knows better then to leave the one you love into the streets of Paris with a fat man who doesn't care about your safety and cares more about pastries and blackmailing other women to do as he bids." He jerked the rope in his hands back and I came over into his arms with a fall. He used his hand that didn't hold my rope to show me a gold ring, "do you know what this is?"

Was he serious? This is a really awkward time to offer a marriage proposal, "it's a ring and no I'm not marrying you!" He laughed a cruel laugh, "Erik is not a fool! There is a reason Erik had Magdalana marked! Erik used the ring to symbolize protection against all danger. As long as it stays on Magdalana's finger Erik will remain Magdalana's friend._"_

If he made me wear on my left ring finger, that meant possession. I'm not going belong to someone who wants to control me for their amusement. "Lou isn't fat! He's just big boned and I'm not wearing the ring! Wait, you blackmailed Carlotta, you shouldn't be talking Phantom!" The flames behind us roared and his hand dropped the ring and gripped my neck in his grasp.

I tired to pry his skeletal fingers from my neck only to have him squeeze tighter. "You wish to make an enemy with someone that could snap your little neck with a flick of a wrist?" The rope was gone from my wrists and was wrapped around my neck instead; I felt the noose on my larynx. It wasn't tight enough to cut off my air supply, "you're insane!" I managed to say before he added more pressure to the rope.

"I'm insane? No my dear, I tried to be patient with women. No more games, now let us go on my sweet Magpie." He let go of my wrist and grabbed my chin, his amber eyes just staring into eyes, no deeper then that, my soul. For some reason, the more he held my gaze, the more relaxed I had gotten, which scared me. His voice was calmed now, gentle, and hypnotic, my knees gave in and I fell on the stage floor with a thud with the noose rope still wrapped around my throat.

He had let go of the rope and was kneeling down on the floor. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me towards the flames, which were only paper now. A fire pit had appeared in front of us; it wasn't there before and was now blowing up the colored paper strands upwards. I felt his mouth kiss my temple before we both dove into the fire pit. His mouth moved from my temple to my ear. "If you deny me love, I'll deny you freedom."

**Review Please!**

**Your Writer,**

**BYD**


	5. Chapter 5

**-EDITED: 7/25/13-**

**Thank you for all the support! I'm really, really glad that my story is good and makes feel like I'm going in the right direction, so thank you, thank you, and thank you!**

**I'll probably be saying thank you a lot! Free hugs for everyone!**

**PhantomWaffles** – Awesome? Thank you! I do enjoy reading your reviews from Little Luxa's _Lotte, the Phans, and a Traveling iPad_!

**watergoddesskasey** – Thank you!

**SexyKnickers** – Thank you for the encouragement!

**Little Luxa** – *Hugs back* I have no doubt that you, the Eriks, and Phangirls will do some recon on their butts! And out of curiosity what color are those paint balls? *Munches on waffle while the Pretend Phantom Hobo tries to grab it*

**inujisan** – Who knows? Maybe its real, maybe it's a different reality, or perhaps a dream? But it is Erik, he is a genius and how a genius works, nobody really knows.

**Phelicia** – Really? You got my attention with that, they can't be that bad…. Can they?

**LadynahEireann** – Thank you and here's another chapter!

**Mominator124** – I thought about and you are right, out with the negative and in with the positive. I see your point about the missing words, misspelled words, and punctuation. Rocky loves chewing on the words and shreds my sentences like an old leather shoes. I'm not blaming him though; I know I err every once in a while. So again, thank you for the review!

**Korom – **I'm glad your loving it!

**ToxicFireStarter – **Thank you so much! Here is a next installment!

**Odessa-fairychild –** Not going to disappoint this time! I'm back from vacation and Lou won't leave me alone until I write this one!

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><p><strong>Lou's POV<strong>

The things I do for this woman! I thought she was going nuts when she said she was being stalked by the Phantom of the Opera and now here I am risking my neck in a restricted section of archives the _Conservatoire de Paris_! You think this place would be accessed to the public, but no! The stupid government had to be right and that all the problems were caused mechaically.

I pulled my key chain flashlight from my coat pocket to look at the locks on the file cabinets. Just a standard lock like this could be that picked with a sharpened bobby pin. I dug through my coat to find, I almost cursed myself when I realized it was inside the pocket of my coat. I grabbed it out and snickered triumphly, I will get the files out of here tonight!

I walked down the cavernous room with my shoes squeaking against the marbled floor. I went down the aisle to see all of them were lined alphabetically. I thought about hitting up the guy who published the life of the sewer dweller of the opera, Gaston Leroux. Sure let some reporter write some story about a misshappen hobo that poses as a ghost so he can get paid a butt load of cash a month! I shook my head in disgust, why couldn't he leave that story in the opera business? But then again I shouldn't be blaming him; I would probably do the same thing to get a quick buck.

I jarred open the cabinet that had K – L on the label of the cabinet. It made a satifying pop as I opened and then coughed from the attack of cobwebs and dust bunnies that leapt at my face. I heard the vault door crack open, a flashlight shot through the darkness as foot steps echoed through the room.

_Mon Dieu!_ The only place to hide was between the cabinets and I don't know if I could fit! I looked back between cabinets, then back at the bobbing light that heading this way. Tight space it is, I sucked in my gut squeezed in the best I could as the steps and light continued down their path.

I heard a second pair come back my way and a voice accompied it, "Felix? You in here?" The second guy was nosier then Felix; I quietly pressed myself into the cabinet behind me, silently praying to any god out there at the moment. The guy in front of the cabinet stopped and looked ahead. Footsteps quietly shuffled to Second Secruity Guard, "Rob, I told you to stay quiet! I'm listening for intruders!" Felix slapped Rob on the head as Rob did the same; they bickered for some minutes, and then left until the next hour shift comes. I chuckled when they left, thinking it might be easy to dupe these idiots.

I tried to get out, but was I stuck for a second. Damn it, no! I shook side-to-side until I squeezed out there. I fell on the floor with a grunt; I stood and dusted myself off. "I really need to start losing weight." I went back to the cabinet and skimmed the top of the tabs to find Leroux. I pushed my glasses up on my nose and pulled out the file that said Leroux, Gaston. I pulled up another file in place to show where it belonged.

I sat in the floor and started flip through the contents of the folder. "Let see what we got here…." After about a good thirty minutes, I found out he was a lawyer first before going into the journalism, then writing his detective books. Wow, he went into something, he went in deep. There were some notes saying he would disguise himself to sneak into prison cells and he tried to interview British statesman Joseph Chamberlain, but failed. There were some things from the French government, but were too worn to be read properly. There was the stifling theory; the government was trying to be hush-hushed about the Phantom before it got out.

Nothing on the Phantom except he wrote it before he died two years later from a urinary tract infection in Nice, France. That's a pleasant way to go… ewww. I slammed the draw in annoyance, nothing on the Phantom. The sound reverbrated through the chamber, I winced, hoping that wouldn't draw any attention. I put the folder back in its place and lock the draw.

I went to the other cabinet that had O – P labeled on the cabinet. Let see if they written any information down on the _Opéra Garnier_. I saw the original blueprint to the building, maybe get a lift on the Phantom's entry points. I folded the blueprint carefully and stuffed it into my coat pocket. I kept scanning through the file until I found a juicey tidbit, "Finally! Something to do with the book!" There was also an old newspaper article and picture of a woman sitting in a chair looking at the camera.

**_The chandelier fell in May 20, 1896 during the performance of the opera Helle. In Les Annales du Theatre et Musique from 1896 wrote an article about the chandelier falling into the audience, hurting two members and killing only one person in the crash. Personal archives of the Opera directors during the Phantom's time happened at the middle of the act of the opera Helle. In the archives they noted, "performance interrupted by an accident... the chandelier fell down on the seats of the amphitheatre killing a woman and hurting two members of the audience."_**

So the chandelier really did fall, it happened twice in the book; maybe Leroux was there when it fell. So there one link, it's a possibility that the Phantom did it. I guess the Les Annuales was a newspaper and that was the picture of the woman that died. There has got to be more to this! It was labeled a mechanical error and was tossed aside, on the side notes it said it was checked monthly for any problems. It was checked before the opera… This doesn't add up.

I decided to call to see if Maggie was okay, knowing Deacon would probably demolish her in their little chat. I speed-dialed her number and tapped my foot in annoyance, pick up, pick up, pick up.

I whispered into the receiver "Maggie? You awake?"

"Yes I'm awake. I just got out of a major chew session with Deacon about an hour ago."

She sounded exhausted. I tried to make light of the situation by joking around.

"Let me guess, he stoned you, then threw you out to the rest of your colleagues to be crucified."

"Ha ha, very funny. So did you find anything about…."?

I sighed. I was annoyed I couldn't find anything much on the subject from Leroux's file, "no I didn't. It's believed that the French government tried to stifle Leroux from trying to get the belief that the Phantom didn't exist and that the accidents were mechanical ones. So in other words, I'm trying really hard to find those no-no files from the vault here at the academy."

Her breathing picked up over the receiver, "not real? Please tell me your joking me, there's ton of evidence that he might be real! Even the older members won't talk about it!"

"Hey Mags, you still on?"

I heard the vault door slam open, I quickly took the file and stashed into the folds of my coat. I guess I'm taking this with me; I'll get Claire to let me back in the vault later.

I snarled quietly into the phone "damn! Look Maggie I'll have to call you later about this, right now security guards are making rounds and I have to make myself scarce, talk to you later." I shut the draw quickly and silently; I looked at the file cabinets again, not going to happen again! I made a run for the door while the guards' lights were on the other side of the chamber.

By the time I got out of the vault I was breathing heavily and went out the employee's exit. I took off my glasses to clean them from sweat perspiration; after I wiped them off with my shirt I grabbed my flask and took a long swig from it. A shook as the whiskey warmed him as a cool breeze hit him.

He would call Maggie later about the folder once he sorted through it and made copies of it. Right now he wanted to go have a hot shower and a soft bed to sleep in. He hailed a cab to go to back to his apartment back on Rue de Rome.

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><p><strong>BYD – No! Bad Rocky! I needed those pages; those are for the next chapter!<strong>

***Bits of the first page are shredded from the yellow dog menace***

**BYD – Lou! Help me get Rocky! He's already ripped apart my first page of the next chapter!**

**Lou - *Looks at Rocky, then at me* He's your office assistant; you got him because he looked cute. I told you to pick the Genius, but no. You had to go with the cute dog that sits there and chews on your work, so I'm off to go do the homework you gave me.**

***Lou leaves and that Rocky looks at me with the pages of the next chapter in his mouth, wags his tail, and starts to drool on them***

**BYD - *Face palms* I can't believe you tore up my spell check, but now your chewing on my chapters. I should have gotten Genius or the cat. Again, thank you guys for the support! It really means a lot to me and if you are interested in being a beta reader PM me!**

**Please review! It will help me get the next chapter away from Rocky!**

**Your writer,**

**BYD**


	6. Chapter 6

**-EDITED: 7/25/13- **

**SexyKnickers – There will be in this chapter.**__

**Little Luxa – *Lou takes waffle from me* I thought you said you wanted to lose weight! *Huffs angrily at Lou, then thinks about Re-Erik* Okay darling; take it easy, I really don't want a rabid Re-Erik after me. Green paint balls? I think I don't want to get hit by them, so I'll post the chapter so I won't be BamI'mDead! **

** Inujisan – I'm doing research on all the events that happened in the book and in real life, while typing the story out. I did a persuasive essay in English on why I thought the Phantom really existed, so that got me hooked on the research and why Lou is a reporter.**

**watergoddesskasey – Thank you!**

**All right no more fillers were back to Maggie's POV. Please note I'm still looking for a beta reader, if anyone is interested please PM me.**

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>Maggie's POV<p>I didn't wake up in the Phantom's lake house like I expected to. Instead, I realized I was in a dusty room. It felt like I was on a bed, was I back into Daaé's old room? I glanced at the floor to see that the flashlight that I had left in here was still there. I checked my clothes to see I was still in my pajamas, no corset or skirt. It was all a dream, if it was a dream then how did I get in here?<p>

I picked up the flashlight and flicked its beam across the room. The pink wallpaper was peeling off the wall, dust coated the vanity mirror, and dead flowers littered the floor of the room. I flicked the beam over to the mirror; the beam went right through the mirror and onto the masked face behind it. I dropped the flashlight in surprise, "Jesus!" I crawled across the bed till my back touched the wall. His amber eyes pricked with amusement as he slid the mirror open with some latch.

The changing screen folded back to reveal a wide entryway into a dark abyss.* He strode out of the tunnel and was three feet away from me. He had on his white mask that exposed his lipless mouth that was grinning that skeletal grin. I shivered in fear to wonder if he was about to drag me down to his hell. I curled my legs to my chest trying to make myself look smaller. He was about three feet away before he took a look at me.

"What is wrong with Erik's little Magpie? Is she scared of her Erik?"

He crept closer to me his eyes never leaving my form; I wouldn't look him in the eyes. Knowing what would happen if I did; I just watched his feet and tried not to focus on his deep baritone voice. I looked at my legs then glanced at the floor to see his feet had moved to the foot of the bed.

"Have you ever heard when you see a magpie, they can tell a fortune?"

I just shook my head trying to block out his voice and get far away from him as possible. He started to sing some rhyme that I never heard of.

_"One for sorrow_  
><em>Two for mirth<em>  
><em>Three for a funeral<em>  
><em>Four for a birth"<em>

Birth? Sure I have seen the Phantom four times, but what does the rhyme mean? What does the birth part mean? A cold laughter rang out from the skeletal figure that stood at the foot of the bed. "My foolish Magpie, you have no wish to become Paris's next singer; since you have opened unwanted memories, I will show you what the opera house was like before."

A wind started to pick up in the room and the smell of roses, theatre make-up, and old parchment picked up. My shoulder with the rose on my shoulder started to burn as his laughter gotten louder as the wind was stronger and swept me into the black abyss. I screamed as the wind pulled me down the tunnels, then I saw nothing.

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><p>This time I didn't wake up on the floor or bed; I was sitting in a chair with chest constricted in a silk corset and dress. A soprano's voice reached my ears and I saw that the theatre was full of people while they watched a blond woman sang onstage. I think its Margarita's Jewel song, the cast were suppose to do the Hunchback. I don't even recognize the woman on stage, that's not Jenny. Her eyes are not that shade of blue, the woman onstage had deep blue eyes and her voice was heavenly.<p>

I inched my chair closer to the balcony to see that everyone was dressed in Victorian clothing like I was. Please don't tell me he flung me back into his time, the time when the theatre was close to being thrown into chaos.

"Anna dear, did you fall asleep again?" There was a man and woman in the box with me; the woman had hazel eyes like mine. Her hair was a dark brown and was in those long sausage curls that I had on me before. She had porcelain colored skin with a heart shaped face, a kind face. The man was tan with black hair that was slicked back with muttonchops. He had brown eyes that analyzed every movement I did; he and the woman were dressed in top fashion.

I've seen this woman before, but where have I seen her. Before I could remember my brain went on autopilot for a reply, "_Nein_ Ruth I haven't. I was thinking about the next performance we could use Nilsson for, she seems more popular then Carlotta."

Ruth? Ruth! My, I don't know how many greats, Grandma Ruth! Her picture was in my father's old family tree in the family album, that's why she looked so familiar! If that's Ruth, then this must be her husband Andrew. Why did I call Daaé by the name Nilsson?

Andrew snorted, "Enough with the business talk Anna, just enjoy the opera." Anna? Ruth's cousin, so is Anna like my pre-reincarnation before I became Maggie? Yeah, pretty sure I'm back in the 1890's, oh goody-goody. So that must Christine Daaé on stage, she hit the highest note and I noticed she swayed once she ended and fainted on the stage.

The entire theatre gasped at the scene and was soon thrown in an uproar. While Andrew and Ruth were distracted, I slipped to the next box to see that the Phantom was preparing to leave his box with one of his hidden trap doors. I pulled the curtain closed and glared at him.

"Why the hell am I here? Why am I in my great-something grandmother's body?" He was wedging the door open before I kicked his door shut. "I want an answer now Phantom or I will scream so loud that the whole bloody theatre will know you're here!" His amber eyes hardened as he looked at me, "think about it, the fourth magpie meant birth. You're re-birthed in that body so you don't throw off history. I'm showing you what happens when you let tutor to your voice into something like Christina's voice."

"I thought her name was Christine Daaé," I said softly.

"Then you know nothing, whatever that fool Leroux wrote was to keep Christina's identity from being exposed to the government. Learn what you can in this century, there is more than you know my sweet Magpie." With that he disappeared, leaving me to ponder what he meant about the past.

So I guess Anna was a businesswoman that helped out the opera with funding, depending on Andrew's and Ruth's reply. I opened the curtain to see if I could get backstage, only to be stopped by one of the managers calling out Anna's last name.

"Mlle. Barrett! Mlle. Barrett!" I turned to see that it was Richard without his other shouting my name down the hallway. I stood right there while Richard stood there to catch his breath. I glanced at the mirror across from us to see that I was a dress that was crimson with small black diamond pattern that went down my dress. I had a black and white cameo choker on with sugar curls going down to my shoulders. My hair was a dark honey color then my light brown hair. The same hazel eyes looked at me regally.

"Mlle. Barrett, Nilsson is out for the night. We roused her; she's with the Vicomte de Chagny at the moment." I felt my lip curl a bit at disgust, "of course she swooned! Her voice was strained when she hit that note; she is only mortal M. Richard!" I was a bit shocked I said that with such authority, he looked a bit fearful.

"Announce to the auidence that our soprano can not go on tonight. We are not re-funding; we finished two-thirds of the opera. If they want to see the whole opera again, they'll have to pay for the next performance." I said that so coldly I couldn't believe the voice actually came out of me.

A memory came to me to see that these men would push me around if I let them show my weaker side. So I stood up straighter, "why are you standing there? Go appease the audience before they throw a riot!" He actually stumbled when he ran off to do my bidding. Ruth and Andrew came out of Box 4, which I realized belonged to me, Andrew looked at me approvingly.

"For a woman without a husband, you know how to run a business. Though Ruth doesn't approve your roughness with the staff." I'm with Ruth on that; I never knew Great-Something Grandmother Anna could be so dominant in the Victorian Era. Maybe I had an Anna in me that could cause me to be so bold too. I looked over to Andrew, "_Mein Herr_,** take Ruth back to the house, I have more business here to attend to." I left Andrew with Ruth after going down to the stage area.

As I climbed down the stairwell, I heard a ghostly chuckle in my ear before it whispered, "That's my smart Magpie. It will only be little longer before you can go back to your home." How long was a little? I wanted to back now! I was deep in thought when I hit a solid mass before I reached the back stage area.

"Excuse me mademoiselle, I didn't see you there." I nearly fell on the floor right there and then when I saw that face. He looked like Lou; I nearly reached my hand out to his face before I paused. "Pardon me Monsieur, what are you doing back here? Only stage hands, actors, and managers are allowed back here." I said in a regal, soft voice, his eyes lit up like Lou's when he was onto something. "Ah, you must be Mlle. Anna Barrett, it's an honor to meet the benefactor of the fine arts here."

He kissed the back of my hand, "My name is Gaston Leroux and I would love an interview with you on how a woman like you runs a theatre like this without being ridiculed for the effort you put into this establishment." Please shoot me! This isn't the Leroux! The guy who brought the Phantom's story out into the public all those years ago! I raised an eyebrow in question, "I have heard of you M. Leroux, but I afraid you are in a restricted section that is not allowed to the public to enter. If you don't leave in the five minutes, I will have the stage hands throw you out. Have a nice evening M. Leroux."

Once I passed him, I opened the closest dressing room. I shut the door and collapsed into the floor in total shock, that man, he looked like an exact copy of Lou. Well, a little more mature, portly, and taller then him. I heard a shatter outside; I stood up and opened the door to see an angry Christina chasing the Vicomte out of her room. Once he was out she slammed the door and locked so he couldn't go back in.

He knocked on the door a couple more times before he faced me, "excuse me Mlle. Barrett, I had no notion that you would be still be here."

"I just came to see on how Christina was fairing, but seeing how she shattered that vase of flowers, I would say she is rather well. But since you are here, I wish for you to escort me home; I promised Andrew Strauss that I would be escorted home by one of the managers or donor. I presume that you have your carriage ready then?"

He looked shocked at how I addressed him, he just nodded dumbly, and still confused on how I just ordered him to take me home. I'm still Magdalana, just in Anna's body and mind to see how things had really happened. Once we reached the coach, he helped me up into the carriage and got in himself as he told the driver to drop me off at my home in Paris. I did fall asleep on the way there, wondering what the lesson was really about.

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><p><strong>Got the Phantom in this time. I'm doing some research while typing this stuff and there are some really interesting things you find out. There's a theory that Leroux based Christine Daaé on Christina Nilsson, a real-life Swedish-born opera singer. Interesting thing was that she was born in Sweden, but trained in France.<strong>

*** I have a link on how I imagine the mirror, its a youtube link. Its the mirror from the cartoon version of the Phantom of the Opera.**

**** German for My Sir, it has other meaning, but I choose my sir.**

**Please Review!**

**Your Writer,**

**BYD**


	7. Chapter 7

**-EDITED: 7/25/13-**

**I would like to thank Vampiress Idrial for being my beta reader and that she rocks for it!**

**Little Luxa – I thought Magpie would sound a bit more graceful then Maggie for Erik to call her. Erik, knock-it off with that glare… You are starting to freak me out. Go stalk Lou. (Looks side-to-side before lunging at the waffle) Victory is mine! (Drags helpless waffle away from Lou and hobos)**

**SexyKnickers – Thank you my dear! There are so many things about Christine and the Nilsson theory lunged out at me while I was researching some things on her.**

**PhantomWaffles – Who knows if he's a ghost? And yes, time traveling is way cooler then drugging the person into thinking that all this happening.**

**inujisan – Barrett is a German surname that I like. In my mind the name Anna Barrett seemed like a strong, commanding, and regal name for Maggie's reincarnation. But if there was a real person back then, I think I have surprised myself. I did find this forum where they debate theories about them, I will post it on my page so you can check it out if want.**

**Phelicia – My bad on for switching the perspective in chapter 5. I am going back to fix the error now that I see it. I'm not getting you wrong, I know I err. I know I'm not perfect.**

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><p><strong>Maggie's POV (Or Anna's)<strong>

I was jolted awake by the carriage to see that we were out the city and a mansion that looked like a giant plantation to me. There is no way Anna could have enough cash, my bad, francs to keep this house, mansion! I mean come on! I don't think my family had this kind of money in the present!

The house was stone white with black shutters; the yard huge that was surrounded with black wrought fencing, rosebushes were underneath the windows of the first floor. There was a stable where they kept the carriage and horses in. The four columns were supporting the second floor of the house's roof with a small balcony jutted out above where the double doors were. The driveway was D-shaped, the house seemed to speak Anna's personality; there was nothing that defied her, everything was immaculate. Great Grandma Anna didn't seem like the person who would stand if there were a mess on her property.

"They must fix that awful hole in the road, someone's carriage wheel will break if they keep hitting." I murmured to myself, Anna taking over while I watched from her view. The iron gate opened up from one of the stable hands and locked it behind us. I saw that the Viscount had dozed off, but woke up after we hit the pothole.

His blue eyes looked around confusedly to see that we were in a carriage in front of the house. He had feminine look about with a small blond mustache sitting on his upper lip, he mumbled a bit before digging his golden watch out of his coat. "Its Midnight _Mlle_. Barrett, are you sure _M._ Strauss wouldn't mind you coming in this late?" Men, who needs a man to control their woman, not I! There goes an Anna thought, not mine.

"Viscount, I assure that _M._ Strauss would not mind me coming in this late. After all, I am mistress of my own home Viscount; _M._ and _Mme._ Strauss are in my home as guests, nothing more. Though I see _M._ Strauss has waited for me to return."

The driver opened the door of the carriage and helped me down, with the Viscount behind me. "_M._ Strauss it's a pleasure to meet you, I have heard so much of you and your wife." The men shook their hands; I turned to bow to Viscount. "I thank you for taking time out of your schedule to escort me home." Andrew smiled as he thanked the donor too, "as my sister-in-law has stated, I to thank you Viscount for seeing her safely back home."

The Viscount excused himself and went to his home for the home, one of the servants held the door open to the foyer as I looked around. White floor gleamed underneath my feet as crimson curtains hung from the window, and gold coloring decorated the railing of the stairwell that took up half of the foyer. There was also a black and red family shield that rested beside the doorway. It had the family name on the top of the shield with a bear standing on its hind legs, clawing the air. I mentally fell at the site of this; it was like the city mouse and the country mouse. Me being the country mouse while Anna took everything in stride.

A maid came to me and removed my shawl from my shoulders while a butler shut and locked the door behind us. "Thank you Mary and Randall, you both are excused for the night." They both bowed before me, they bowed, and wow she has the well trained here. "Yes _Mlle_. Barrett." They both said simultaneously as they fell to the servant's quarters on the property.

Andrew led me to the library on the first floor with a wine bar on the side. There was a chaise, a couch, and a desk in the room. The wood on the floor was a dark wooden color as the walls were crimson with gold trimming on the shelves and walls. I daintily sat on the chaise while Andrew made himself a scotch on the rocks. Once he was done with his task he sat himself on the couch in front of me. I had a feeling someone was watching us, so I spoke German to my brother-in-law.

"So Andrew, what is it that you wish to speak to me about?"

He looked down at his drink before he took the entire drink in one swallow in one gulp. He shivered as the drink went to his stomach like a rock.

"Anna, I think you need to import some of the Homeland's brew to your home when Ruth and I are here." I smirked at his comment as he tried cover his cough from the scotch. I spoke up, "I prefer France's wine then enjoying beer dear sir." I sighed, "you are delaying the inevitable, what is it that you wish to talk about?"

He sat up straighter, trying to make it look like what ever he was about to say. I felt Anna mentally sigh, as if she had this talk with him before. What was the big deal here?

"Anna, I think its time to settle down." My right eye twitched in annoyance, I invite him to my home and every time I arrive late to my home, he has to say this speech over and over again. This is kinda of freaky, with her thoughts and mine; I don't know which one to follow.

"Andrew, I tire of your insist chatter on marriage. I am not a woman who wishes to be tied down; I will not turn into a woman that is afraid to venture off her property without her husband."

His voice got deeper, like a low growl. "Just because you dropped your career at the Berlin State Opera, does not mean you can run off to Paris. You know as well as I you can never run away from your troubles."

I felt Anna cringed as if he poured salt into a fresh wound, a memory flew by, but I was not fast enough to see it. In a stern tone I spoke. "Enough! You never understood on why I left! Do you think I wanted to leave the life of a Prima Donna, having the audience demand an encore for my performing talent? To have my dressing room decorated with flowers and presents from men trying to sway me with their charms? I didn't want to leave the Homeland and yet here I am," in utter disgust I continued, "with Lisa Roma*** sitting in _my_ dressing room, while _my_ fans fawn over her?"

Anna continued to rant while I felt the presence of being watch grow stronger. "To them, I am nothing now! The opera singer you knew is no more, no more of the easily pushed around Anna! No man will bring down the new Anna Barrett; she refuses to fall for a man! If she wishes to be held down then she will do so here in Paris as a benefactor for the Garnier!" Anna didn't realize she was getting louder with every sentence, I thought I would have to mentally cover my ears.

She realized that she was yelling and mentally patted her ruffled feathers back down as she came back as the cold, calculating Anna. "I am a disgrace to the family, a Barrett isn't second best. Look at my brothers Paul, Peter, and James they are both successful in their businesses, they have children for _Mutter_ and _Urheber** _to spoil. They have wives who are approved by them! And Andrew, look at the youngest of the children. A disgraceful, has been singer resorting to running away with her tail between her legs."

Her dominant façade was falling apart in front of him. She was on the verge of tears, "Andrew, we are not to speak about what has transpired in this room. Not Ruth, not to my parents, and certainly nobody else. My career in Berlin is no more; there is no need to bring up the unwanted memories. _Gute Nacht_*** _mein herr_."

I picked up my skirts to climb up the stairs and go to my, Anna's room. Man this is confusing, but what was that memory that Anna was trying to suppress? I opened the bedroom door to see that the room was the size of an apartment! The room had dark wooden panels on the wall while the floor was carpet that was the color of blood. A vanity was a red wood color stood near the wall with make-up products neat and tidy. I also had a bureau that could hold up five people tops. Another door led to my own washing quarters.

The king-sized canopy bed was made down, Anna just plopped down on the turned down bed and went into a deep sleep.

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><p>I awoke to feel a presence in my room; I didn't see anything. I was about to nestle back into the nest of pillows when I heard a note from a violin. My head jerked up at Brahms's Lullaby began to play, echoing in the room. I felt hypnotized by the lull of it as I opened the bedroom door and down the grand staircase to the back door where the horse pasture was.<p>

On the very edge of the horse pasture were woods, which stretched out until what you saw was darkness. In this case, you saw amber pinpricks staring right at me as I dumbly followed the soothing lullaby into the woods. I stood before the masked man as he played the last stanza of the lullaby. Once the note ended in the vast expanse of the forest, he rested the violin against a tree and came over to me.

He smirked smugly before gently grabbing at my chin, "its uncanny on how both you and Anna fell for the music. Your eyes are glazed over as if you lust for the music to guide you." His thumbs touched my half-opened eyelids, I felt mentally exhausted and leaned against the Phantom. "Anna struggled to know where she belonged. Her heart is still in the music, but she was afraid to get near it again."

The lullaby was still playing in my head, his words were threading into the song. He sighed, "if you were only this cooperative when you are not hypnotized by music. Come, we must return to the present, your fat-friend will be missing you."

The marking on my shoulder began to burn; I woke up from my slight daze to see the Phantom looked triumphant on what he wanted to show me. But my friends, I knew this wasn't the end of the lesson there was still more to come. I screamed in agony and fell onto the forest floor where the tree roots and ground began to swallow me as I looked up to those amber pinpricks looked down upon as the earth swallowed me whole.

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><p><strong>* - Mother and Father in German (Translation from Google Translator)<strong>

**** - Good night in German**

***** - An actual person, look her up.**

**Big thanks to Vampiress Idrial again for correcting things that needed to be corrected! Please review if you want the next chapter to come out!**

**Your writer,**

**BYD**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Beta read by Vampiress Idrial**_

**inujisan – The Phantom doesn't want to scare Maggie too much, fear makes you do crazy things. **

**SexyKnickers – Trying my best to keep it entertaining. I am so glad you are enjoying it so far! **

**Little Luxa – (Phantom's eyes glare at Luxa in a imposing way, then smiles that lipless grin at her way and walks away) Yeah… He doesn't talk much when he's up something. Lou, Maggie, stop pelting _Mlle_. Luxa with waffles! Lou, you have to hide from three Phantoms now since your hitting on Lotte and Maggie you are late for practice again. (Both run off) Ah, crazy kids. **

**Mominator124 – Anna is very important in for the flashes from the past, you will see more of her soon. **

**Cherilynn.L'Ombre – Thank you my dear! But please thank Vampiress Idrial also for helping me with my sentence structure, grammar, and spelling!**

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><p><strong>Present Time<strong>

**(Early morning in the dorms)**

**3rd POV**

Lou was walking through the dormitories of the Garnier with a folder in his hands, his pass showing around his neck, his clothes from yesterday rumbled from wear. So much for the shower, he had crashed on his bed when he got home. He hadn't found much last night besides the news article and the blue print of the theatre.

He was exhausted beyond belief. He stopped for a second to rub his tired eyes, and they were bloodshot and dry from staying up too late. He came home around quarter to three and woke up around quarter past four to get some information for Maggie. The dormitories were deathly quiet as he manoeuvred through the scattered props from the last production. Floorboards creaked as he stepped into the older part of the theatre.

Then, there was faint laughter of women behind him. He turned quickly to see there was nothing there. He shook his head and then felt for his flask; once he pinpointed the location of it he didn't bother taking a swig of it. The smell of whiskey assailed his senses. A skeleton prop fell in front of Lou forcing him to jump back in surprise. The skull bounced off the floor a couple of times before the death's head looked at him. Just as he was about to put it back in order, he heard a voice that sounded familiar.

"I have heard of you _M._ Leroux, but I afraid you are in a restricted section that the public is not allowed to enter." His mouth dropped open in shock and he looked around for the owner of the voice before calling out to it.

"Maggie? Is that you?" The voice continued its little monologue.

"If you don't leave in five minutes, I will have the stage hands throw you out. Have a nice evening _M_. Leroux." He backtracked; it sounded like Maggie, but she didn't sound like a cold-hearted ass. Since when did she call him Leroux… wait, the voice must have meant Gaston Leroux! A dark chuckle emitted beside his ear as Lou backed into a statue of an elephant behind him.

"_M_. Leroux, I think it's best to comply with the mademoiselle's wishes."

He turned behind him to see that it was the same man from the alleyway! A black mask covered his entire face except those amber eyes; he also wore Victorian fashioned clothing. Lou saw that the man was about six inches taller than he and was and as thin as the skeletal remains in front of him. Lou never saw the lasso in the masked man's hands as he debated whether to kill this clone from the past or not.

The Phantom wanted to be the one to show his dear Magpie the past, not with these false lies that this Leroux clone found from these frightened old – age fools. They had only believed Joseph Buquet's tales of him, though the Phantom took care of Buquet in the third cellar. Now, he had a combination of Leroux and Buquet before his eyes, which meant trouble for Erik.

"What is it with fat theatre reporters thinking that they can sleep with the ballet rats to get information on me? I see some things never change then." The Phantom stood closer to the reporter who was looking at the Phantom in front of him. Just as Lou remembered the hand at the level of your eye trick, the Phantom had his thick neck in his lasso. Lou's face turned red from lack of oxygen and in anger.

The Phantom tugged the portly young man with him into one of the five cellars; Lou tumbled down a small set of steps and into the prop room. The Phantom took the lasso from his neck and locked Lou into the prop room. As the Phantom left he heard the reporter cry out vulgar curses, but Erik just smirked as walked away and disappeared into the darkness of the theatre.

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><p><strong>Maggie's POV<strong>

I groaned in agony as I heard pounding on the door. "C'mon Maggie! Open the door!" Ginger squalled trying to get my attention. I rolled onto my stomach to see that I was back in my room, on the floor with a withered blue rose clutched in my hand. My shoulder was stinging.

"Stupid roses. I loved roses, now I hate the stupid flower." I mumbled as I opened the door to see a wide-eyed Ginger looking at me.

"Oh gosh, you look like crap." I shot her a stink eye, and then sneezed. "Did you sleep underneath the bed? You're covered in dust bunnies." I left her at the door and went to the bathroom to see I was indeed covered in dust bunnies. She dropped her suitcase on her bed and helped me dust myself off. "I got it Ginger, just let me shower."

A light bulb seemed to flash in Ginger's eyes. "Oh, that reminds me! Deacon is hosting a meeting in the theatre at nine-thirty. All students are required to attend, so let me put my stuff up and I will see down there soon!" she said cheerfully and went down to the auditorium.

I went to the bureau to pick out my outfit for the day and dug out some black jeans and a red shirt that said, "Better a witty fool than a foolish wit" from Shakespeare, along with some black sneakers. I quickly washed myself off and put on my outfit. I just gathered my wet hair into a ponytail and saw that I had ten minutes to get the theatre before I would be called out again.

I closed the dorm door and just started running when I heard a voice crying out for help. I slowed to a walk and saw that one of the prop doors was locked and that the voice seemed louder. Thuds were coming from behind the door. I walked down the small set of stairs and unlocked the door.

Someone fell on the floor, breathing heavily. "Thank you whoever you are! I've been in there since four o'clock this morning!" I saw that it was Lou who was lying on the floor and was clutching a thick folder in his hands. I helped him up.

"Look Lou, you will have to tell how you got trapped in there later, I've got to get to the theatre now!" I probably left scorch marks on the floor as I quickly flew to the auditorium.

I sat in the closest seat by the door while the entire student body was chattering among themselves. I heard heavy panting as Lou sat in the chair next to me in exhaustion. All five teachers were on the stage along with _M._ Deacon, who was standing center stage. Master Risqué slammed his cane into the floor. It echoed through the theatre as every head concentrated on the stage.

Master Risqué pointed his cane to Deacon; it became quiet as everyone turned their attention to the headmaster. Deacon cleared his voice before addressing the audience. "I see that the entire staff is here. Now I have some important news to deliver to you all." He dug some index cards out of his shirt pocket and continued as he read off them. "Seeing as the budget cannot support _The Hunchback of Notre Dame _production, we will not be doing it this season."

There were shouts of disbelief and curses as actors, stagehands, dancers, and artists called out how unfair this was. Everyone was quieted down when Natalie spoke up. "I thought it was in the budget! This is unfair to all of us who worked hard for the last six weeks!" Shouts of approval rang through the auditorium. The teachers turned their heads to Deacon as he turned beet red from embarrassment.

He coughed. "Yes it was. But unfortunately one of our benefactors has passed away this past week and his fortune has been given to his immediate family, cancelling our production. There is good news though."

Heads perked up at the sound. "The schools in Paris will be glad to help us. They will help with publicity and finances until we can find another benefactor. So, as headmaster, I will give you, the student body, the decision of what play you desire to do. You have three days until then, have a nice day." With that said, the teachers and headmaster left the stage, leaving the others to decide what they wanted. Lou nudged me, and nodded toward the doors.

We left the opera and went back to the _La Maison du Chocolat_ where Lou explained what had happened to him while he was getting information and how the Phantom had locked him in the prop room. I giggled when he told how he had to hide from the guards.

"It's not funny Maggie!" I nearly fell out of the chair with laughter, and then sobered up to tell him of my flash from the past.

"You are never going to believe this Lou, but you look exactly like a younger version of Leroux! I actually met him, well, Anna did, but he acted and looked like you I swear!" He paled considerably before reaching for his flask. I left him alone for a second to retrieve some of those éclairs he likes, to calm him down.

He picked one up before chomping half of it off in one bite. Strawberry cream dripped from the other half and onto a napkin on the table. "And this Anna, she is your how-many-greats grandmother? She was a benefactor for the Garnier? So that's whom the Phantom was referring to. Maggie, Anna sounded just like you except that cold tone she used. She called me Leroux, so she knew Gaston Leroux! But what does she have to do with the Phantom in all of this? It doesn't make any sense… Any clues Maggie?"

I didn't tell him about what Anna had said to Andrew, I felt I would betray Anna if I said anything about her speech. I wanted to see what Lou could find out before I told him what had really transpired. I sighed. "Not a clue Lou. All I know is that Anna ruled over the managers with an iron fist, so is there nothing in that folder about her?" He flipped open the folder and began to skim through some papers until he found something.

"Here's something, I'm not sure what it could mean, so read it to yourself and see if anything comes up." He sat back in his chair and started to watch people as I read the article.

**December 19th, 1887**

"**Famous starlet Anna Barrett who had once ****graced**** the stage in the Berlin State Opera house has now become a benefactor for Paris's fine opera house, the Opera Garnier. When ****asked why**** she had decided to leave Berlin, she merely replied, 'I believe that it was time for a change of things, I have always wanted to see what Paris had to offer.' ****When questioned**** more, she ignored other reporter's questions as she went to her box to watch Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's **_**Swan Lake**_**."**

I sadly shook my head. "It's not ringing any bells. I'm sorry if I can't be more help."

He took the article back and tucked it back into the folder. He stood up and stretched. "Maybe that's a new lead on why the Phantom might have chosen you, because you look exactly like Anna. I will try to see if there's anything here in Paris. Can you try and contact your parents and see if they know anything about her? For now, I'm going to leave you alone so I can continue my search. See you tomorrow Maggie, call me if something comes up."

Lou left me at our table as he shuffled his way back to his apartment. One of the workers of the café brought me a flower; a white rose with a black ribbon was laid on the table. "Mademoiselle I was asked by a gentleman to give this to you."

I drew a small tip out of my pocket and handed it to the man. The flower was closed, but I knew it meant another trip to the past.

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><p><strong>Your writer,<strong>

**BYD**


	9. Chapter 9

**-EDITED: 7/25/13-**

**PhantomWaffles – Hey no problem, I bet it is way cooler up there then where I'm living! I think I would die without wi-fi lol! But yes more time traveling for Maggie. Was there Canadian bacon at your hotel? **

**SexyKnickers – Not fun for Lou, but Lou offers you one of his strawberry cream éclair since you care.**

**Mominator124 – Not both, what he meant was snooping quality.**

**Lou – Thanks for the neck brace!**

**Little Luxa – Lou! Quit riling up poor Re!**

**Lou – What? He started it! And I'm not tubby; I prefer the term slightly portly. Besides, Re, Lotte belongs to Erik. No one said I couldn't compliment her. She is a pretty lady and so is Mlle. Luxa. And I look forward to that visit Mlle. Lotte and Luxa.**

**Bam's Erik – (Just loops a rope around Lou's neck and drags him away. In the distance a door is heard opening twice. Erik comes back with a satisfied smirk without Lou.)**

**Thank you guys for the reviews! I really appreciate them!**

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><p><strong>(Maggie's POV)<strong>

I sat at the table for some time twirling the rose between my fingers, its bud closed for the time being. So no blue rose this time, but a white one. Purity and innocence are off the list, there are more meanings to this right? I sighed and pulled out my cell phone, seeing if I got any wi-fi in the café. I pulled up a search engine and looked some meanings. Silence was the meaning of this one. I guess because I didn't tell Lou what I knew.

My phone shut itself off from the Internet and showed that Ginger was calling me. I picked it up after the second ring. "Hey Ginger what's up?"

"Prime donne and uomini are setting up their own meeting with the entire crew. Everyone needs to come and decide on a play now." Well, that was quick. I got up from my chair shrugged on my purse. "I guess they already chose on what we're doing?"

"I don't know Mags, but you know it's strange when they want everyone now. Where are you anyway?"

"_La Maison du Chocolat_. Lou and I were just having a snack and talk a bit, I'll be back at the theatre." I hung up the phone and exited the establishment.

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><p><strong>~5 minutes later~<strong>

Ginger met me at the entrance of the auditorium, Jenny was kept shifting her legs around nervously as her eyes darted around the foyer. Chatter rang through the theatre as everyone told some of their friends the ideas they had. Once we found a place to sit, I glanced up at the boxes to see that the masked man was watching me with interest. I showed him the rose and cocked my head in confusion; he merely smirked and disappeared within Box 5.

Ginger nudged my hand, "everyone is there onstage. Natalie was the Prima Ballerina, Francine for the arts, Alexander for the orchestra, Patricia for chorus, and Pierre for acting. And there is Joshua from stage management." No one every sees him much, rumor has it that he lives up in the catwalks and knows about everyone's business whether they like it or not.

Joshua came up with a megaphone in his grasp; he clicked the speaker button and projected his voice into the auditorium. "Hey can everyone shut up and pay attention up here?" Everyone quieted and glared at the shady stage manager. "Much better, since we are all here, your prima from each group thinks that you must have come up with an idea by now. So anyone got any ideas?"

Hands shot up and some shouted out their ideas, Ginger was standing on her toes trying to get her hand noticed. The auditorium was in uproar again; Josh caused the megaphone to make that static noise causing everyone to cover his or her ears. "Before we go on what play we should do, we need to discuss which school level we need to do." A girl that was sitting two seats ahead of us raised her hand, Josh acknowledged her. "I think elementary kids would be more easily entertained. Plus I think there are more day-care centers and elementary schools in Paris."

A male actor snorted at this opinion, "they wouldn't sit still long enough! They only care about happy endings! If you do the high school, you would be able to use courser language and at least kill a person!"

Alexander nodded his agreement with the actor, "true. But you don't need vulgar language to keep a teen's attention." Francine rolled her eyes, "please! We could do a few different fairy tales for each week." Now that got everyone, Natalie scoffed, "do a fairy tale each week? We don't have time to remember every script!" Francine retorted back, "yes but, we have props to the fairy tales. We can divide into four groups; each has two weeks to put their plays together."

Alexander and Joshua nodded in disagreement, "it would be better if we worked as a group. Francine can go with Josh down to the prop rooms to see what we can use." Francine had a look of disgust upon her face, "fine. We could find props from a past production and perform the same show again. But, no one has decided on which grade level we will do. We ruled out the elementary classes, seeing how they won't sit still." Francine shot a glare at the guy in the audience that suggested the high school level.

Patricia perked up, "a thought just occurred to me! I have a younger sister who is in high school and right now in their history class they are going over the French Revolution." Natalie just looked at her blankly, "history is so boring! I can barely understand all the politics in it." Pierre got gist of what she was saying, "_Les Misérables_!" Francine turned to Natalie and Alexander, "I forgot which play it was, but we have some French revolution props we can use! We can do that! I notion _Les Misérables_!"

The whole auditorium was back to an uproar, only to be silenced by Josh's megaphone's static noise. "Alright so it's agreed? We will be doing the _Les Misérables_ for the high schools! Auditions will be the day after tomorrow once the prime donne established this to _M_. Deacon on the cast's decision. That's all for tonight, you are dismissed!" Josh announced, everyone got up and started to go home or to their dorms for the night.

Ginger was going to spend the night the Jenny again, leaving me by my lonesome self. Oh well, better if Ginger stayed away from our room for the night. She would wonder where I was off to. While the entire theatre was in flurry to where they needed to go, I walked back stage to go to Christine's room, or Christina's room, now that I know her real name.

The door was unlocked and hard to push open, I managed to wedge my shoulder between the frame and door. I squeezed by and close the door behind me; the white rose was still clasped in my hand as it were super glued to it. The smell of parchment and roses picked up as I stood in front of the mirror.

"Here I am Phantom! Show me what needs to shown and leave me alone!" I yelled in the confine of the room. That dark chuckle landed right in my ear; I jumped back with my back to the mirror. I didn't see the Phantom behind me; he stood in the corner with his skeletal grin.

"If one wishes to keep a secret, then one must have silence in order to do so. What I will show you is what secrets are for." His hand roamed the wall beside him; he pushed something and opened the mirror behind me. I fell backwards with the wind dragging me down the tunnels with his amber gaze never leaving me.

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><p>I woke up at a desk with a quill in my hand. I sat up to see I was writing down expenses for a chandelier. There was a newspaper sitting on the corner of my desk, the heading showing that one of the opera horses were stolen by the Opera Ghost. Another one showed that La Carlotta had croaked onstage when she was performing<em> Faust<em> and that the chandelier had fallen in crowd, only killing one.

I put the quill back into the inkpot and grabbed the newspaper with La Carlotta on it. It said she had fled from Paris in embarrassment from her performance. "Moncharmin and Richard need to listen Phantom or all of this insanity would not be happening!" Anna started taking over; I hung on for the ride ahead. There was a knock at the door when I put the paper down. "Enter." I called out coldly, the door opening to show that the Vicomte was now gracing my presence.

"_Mlle_. Barrett, forgive me on intruding you while you are working." I nodded and motioned my hand to go on, "is Christina all right? She has not spoken to me since she fainted, she only wrote me a letter telling me to meet her at the night of the masquerade. I only inquire this of you because you seem like a woman -" I glared at him, "I wouldn't know what it is like to have a suitor asking me about my every action. Some ladies prefer their privacy; they don't want to deal with the foolish attempts of desperate suitors trying to gain their attentions."

I grabbed the quill and continued doing the math in my head. I left Raoul with his mouth gaping like a fish, "foolish attempts? You think that by caring what is going on with Christina that I see desperate? Have you ever had a suitor try to swoon with his foolish attempts?" I felt Anna grip the quill tightly; he hit a sore spot with that last sentence. "No German man wants a frigid woman who only cares about business." The German accent in my voice was showing heavily as I spoke. I stood up making my small stature of Anna look more intimidating. I walked up to Raoul and looked at him. "You are a Vicomte! You are pining after something you can't obtain without upsetting your family. If you keep pursuing after Christina things will get worse for you, the opera, and I. Now out! I no longer want to deal with this childish lover quarrel, do as she suggest and meet her at the Masquerade!"

I pushed him out of the door and locked it behind him. A lock of hair came loose from my bun; I pulled my hair out of the bun and putting the pins in mouth to fix it back. Only a dark chuckle echoing through my office, knowing who it could it is. I sat at my desk while fixing my hair while Erik entered my office. He looked at my hair before grabbing a lock with his long fingers; "Your hair looks attractive when it's down." He let it go and helped me get back up in a bun. He grabbed a pin from my mouth and pinned some of the locks back.

I could see his white mask gleaming in the corner of my eye. His hand took of the pins in my mouth and held in his. I held some my hair while he continued to pin it back. "You know why I am here Anna." I rolled my eyes, "yes, yes you're here about getting the right chandelier for your auditorium." I glanced in the mirror to see his eyes glow merrily, "ah, you know me so well. As well as my pay?"

"The managers are not paying you anymore."

He paused and turned my head to look up at him. "What do you mean by that Anna? I always get paid." His voice was getting that lovely, deep baritone voice that so pleasing to listen sometimes. I stupidly replied forgetting that he was the deadly Phantom instead of a man. "They don't believe in paying a specter. The Vicomte has agreed with that arrangement as well. The men think that since they have a wealthy patron on their side, they think they can get rid of me, thus getting rid of your salary."

He sighed angrily and continued pinning my hair back aggressively, "then how am I getting my pay while I torment the theatre?" Is every man this stupid? I'm still paying his salary, but he is smart enough to figure it out later.

He stepped out behind to look at his work. Once satisfied with it draws out a piece of paper and a letter with his red writing on it to give to the managers. He points out to the plans on how he wants it constructed; I nodded only understanding half of it. "I have a brother in Munich that could construct the base of it, and then he could send the base out to my other brother in Berlin who can put on the finishing touches on. It would probably be back in four weeks before the performance."

He nodded before laying his hands on my bare shoulders, "I never seem such a tantrum before coming from a 'frigid' woman before. I have seen it though, in some prime donne when they want something." I snapped out of my dreamy state and slapped his hands away from my shoulders. I stood up and took a few steps away from him, "you are fool then Phantom. I was never a prima donna; I don't even have the voice of a chorus girl."

"Doubtful." He gestured toward the mirror, telling me to look. "I have taught Christina to hold herself like that when she goes to perform. Obviously someone who knows how a singer is suppose to stand taught you well." I had to derail him from his train of thought some how, so I had to throw Raoul under the carriage. "Speaking of Christina, how is everything going with her?"

He was silent as I continued, "From what I hear, she plans on seeing the fop at tonight's Masquerade. He seemed rather desperate to talk to her about her mysterious suitor and to why she won't speak to him about it." He snarled and threw my chair across the room. "I wish you refrain from destroying my furniture, I rather liked that chair." It was in splinters and laid in pieces by a bookshelf I kept in the office.

He growled before storming into his mirror, "Make sure that letter gets to the managers. I will see you tonight at the Masquerade." He slammed the mirror shut while I grabbed one of the heavy leather chairs from in front of my desk and dragged it to where my chair usually sat. I wrote to James about making that base for the chandelier then shipping it off to Peter to finish it up. I sealed the plans up with the letter and laid it in the basket outside my office so it would be mailed tomorrow.

I decided to head home early to prepare for the masked ball tonight and a long hot bath to ease some of the stress I was feeling today. Why does everything I own have to get destroyed by men? I walked down to the stable to have my carriage readied so I can go home. Once the men had hitched up my team, I was helped into it. When I sat down, I just let my hair down and leaned heavily back into my seat; trying to ease my tense shoulders. But tonight, I am going to enjoy my time at the Masquerade. Just me, laughter, and at least all the wine I can drink.

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><p><strong>Like it? Please review! Thank you!<strong>

**BYD**


	10. Chapter 10

**= (RE - EDITED IN CHAPTER NINE!) =**

**inujisan – Wouldn't you melt if Erik used that beautiful voice on you? But me, oh my! It is so alluring! (Grabs a paper fan and starts to fan away her blush away)**

**Lou – Nice way to hide a blush Bam.**

**Bam – Thank you Lou. But yes, she has been there longer then the current managers. She knows how to keep the theatre occupants happy and to keep the damages down to a minimum!**

**SexyKnickers – Thank you so much! I am very glad you are enjoying this far and hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Lou – Strawberry cream filled éclair for you my dear!**

**I made it extra long since I haven't posted anything in a while. Thank you for the reviews you guys!**

Once I reached home, I had Mary go prepare me a bath so I could get ready for the Masquerade. My home was empty; Ruth and Andrew left a few days prior after my confession to Andrew. Ruth was retching violently in the morning and headed home in Munich with Andrew. I think Ruth might have her first child earlier then she thought. I headed up to my room to set my outfit for the party.

I found a gold and white gown from a little boutique shop a few streets down from the opera house. The skirt was white with some of the golden corset draping over skirt only a quarter of the skirt with a white ribbon tied at the waist. A mask lay on top of the dress, it was a golden wood color with dark gold lining around the eyes. Musical stanzas lay beneath and on top of the eyes with musical notes within the stanzas. It could tied around my face in comfort and wouldn't leave a red marks on my face from wearing too long.

"Fräulein Barrett? Your bath is ready; just call one of the maids if you need help with your hair." I nodded, "thank you Mary. You and Randall are dismissed for the night, enjoy your evening with Randall." She blushed red and closed the door quickly. I chuckled and went to soak in the bath for a while. I stripped quickly and laid in the tub while I was deep in thought.

Erik would be probably down in his home composing as usually and I would have to chatter and waltz with potential benefactors. I think I will leave when the clock strikes eleven o'clock, still have to go to work. Who knows?

My hands started pruning and I decided to get out and get ready, I called Bijou into the room to help me with my hair. Once I shimmed into the dress, I sat at my vanity and told her what I wanted to do my hair. She nodded and gave me some ideas on how some things should be.

After a while, I had long sausage curls pulled back with my bangs curled. My lips were painted crimson red with a faint blush around my exposed cheeks; I slipped on my mask and I marveled how it felt like the good old days. "Ah Bijou! You made me feel like the Prima Donna!" She handed me my white feathered fan, I thanked her and gave her the rest of the night off for a reward; my heels waited at the front door for me. I slipped them on and headed out the door before glancing at the family coat of arms. I sighed in defeat headed into my carriage. Luke helped me in and drove the carriage through the gate and into the city of Paris.

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><p>While Anna started to think her own thoughts, my excitement of the Masquerade was high! Here I was, in an elegant dress that I could describe as a princess gown! It wasn't Halloween and I was dressed up, though it was New Year's Eve! Though I can't imagine what it would like… Hey what was that?<p>

Anna had a thought and it showed a man and her in the mirror looking happy as he put on a ruby necklace around her neck. The man was whispering in her as she giggled as he breath tickled the shell of her ear... It kind of scared me, Anna laughing... He pecked his lips with her, until the memory shattered once Anna winced at it. "What ever did I see in that man?" Anna muttered to herself, as she came out of thoughts when the carriage jolted to a stop.

The door open to reveal a crowd and red carpet that led to the entrance of the theatre. Luke offered me his hand to help down, I took it gladly, knowing I would probably trip I didn't. As soon as my feet were planted on the ground, we went back to the driver's seat and took off. The crowd outside were waiting and laughing with each other until their friends arrived. I walked to the entrance to be amazed at the inside.

It was so beautiful! Deep reds, blacks, and gold decorations littered the foyer. Chamber music was being played on a balcony on the second floor, waiters walking around with champagne and little finger food. While masked men and women waltzed past me; different flashes of color passed my eyes. Laughter and chatter almost covered the music, two men walked up to me in the guise of a ram and rooster. Their masks were lifted up to see that it was the managers; each took a turn and kissed my hand.

"Welcome to our Masquerade mademoiselle, we hope you enjoy yourself." Both bowed before I laughed, "Moncharmin and Richard, you would never greet me in no manner! Though it's a pleasure to see you both. Though if I look that different, then maybe my costume is too good!" I walked away and started to enjoy the wine. I was asked to dance a couple of times, while I chattered on how we could use more funding for our opera house and compliment on how they were graceful on their feet.

I saw blond hair bob up and down in a kind of panicked way. I craned my neck to see Christina in a Domino mask; it looked like she was trying to find someone. I excused myself from a group of women to go talk to her. I grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side in an empty hallway. She gasped and tried to squirm out of my grasp, "let me go!" I let go and turned her towards me, "Christina, it's me! _Mademoiselle _Barrett!"

She calmed down and sighed a breath of relief. I knew Erik must have gotten to her, he tried to woo her down in his home and it ended not as he planned. "Oh _Mademoiselle_ Barrett you scared me! I was looking for… Someone." I rolled my eyes from behind my mask, "you were looking for the Vicomte. There is no need to lie to me Christina." She looked flustered and was trying to ask how I knew that. "Your lover was asking me on how you were doing and asking me why you would be acting like this." I chuckled, "he has some protective issues and is trying to find ways on to sway you."

She laughed nervously, and then looked side to side. "You believe that the Phantom is real, don't you _Mademoiselle Barrett_?" I nodded, "yes I do. I have seen the damage he has done to the theatre. But please, call me Anna." She explained to her problem, and felt for her. She didn't want to upset her teacher, but she loves the Vicomte.

I began to feel for the girl, she only viewed the man who taught her to sing as a teacher, not a lover. Unshed tears began to gather in her eyes, "_Mein lieber_*, don't cry. You are at a party and you don't want the Vicomte to see like this no?" She shook her head no, I smiled, "come here." I hugged her to me, "if you need someone to listen, I will be glad to listen."

There appeared another Domino, exactly like Christina's except that girly blond mustache that showed on his lip. I let her go to him and went back to the party to see a man in a Red Death costume let go of a clown's wrist. Death's head showed from beneath the wide brim hat and followed the young couple to the roof before looking in my eyes. He had some rage in them, but they soften as they took in my form. He followed them up the staircase with the flourish of his long cape.

I saw the portly figure of a certain reporter stalking the hallways, trying every door. I growled mentally myself and silently walked behind the man since he wasn't facing me. The man was there when the chandelier fell and now he's back here to annoy the hell out of me. I grabbed him by shoulder and pulled him back a bit so he fell onto the floor. His black mask covered his face, but he wasn't wearing his glasses. He had on the waiter's outfit so he could easily blend into the party without suspicion.

He looked up to see I wasn't in the mood to play. "_Mlle_. Barrett, how good to see you again. I see your looking rather well." He got back on his feet, "I was wondering if I could a review from the infamous Berlin prima donna that is know as _Fräulein _Anna Barrett." I felt Anna's heart clenched in fear and pain, she was feeling cornered and scared as the man in front of her probably knew her past.

He looked at me, knowing he had the right person in front of his beady eyes. "_Fräulein_ Barrett had a spectacular career. She had the best voice in Germany, she had men that wanted her, women that envied her, and what did she do with all that? She chucked it away for a man that is named Warren Helmer and he ended her career just by having her fall in love with him; only to have him stab her in the back by putting his fiancé in her place as prima donna."

Anna was feeling an over emotional melt down and touched her cheeks, streams of tears were pouring out of each eye in agony of betrayal. She started to run in the opposite direction, only to hit a crimson clad chest. She looked up to see it was Erik, for his amber eyes, showed the same torment she was feeling. She wailed into his chest while the Phantom was hesitant on where to put his hand. He settled on her shoulders and pulled her close, he shot a menacing glare over her head at the fat reporter. "If you ever come close to her again or even breathe in her direction, you will found dead in the alley. Now if I were you, I would leave now or you would regret for what you did."

He left as fast as his fat legs could carry him. As soon as we were alone, he spoke up again. "I believe it would be best if you came home with me tonight, I already informed your driver and that everything is settled. We are both upset and it won't be good if either of returned to the party in our state. Now come on my masked melody, its best if we got some rest."

He pushed aside a tapestry to reveal a mirror; he triggered a button that looked like a brick. He ushered me into the dark, with his gold eyes leading the way to his home.

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><p><strong>Like it? Then please review! Reviews help get chapters out quicker!<strong>

**Lou – Strawberry cream filled éclairs for everyone!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Lou – Bring out your dead! (Throws Bam into the recycling bin)**

**BYD – (Climbs out of the bin) I'm not dead!**

**Lou – Well there you are. It has been a while since you posted anything.**

**BYD – Yeah, yeah I know, (shivers) two years. A lot of stuff has been going on. But I suppose it's time to reply to those reviews (Pulls out the reviewer's reviews)**

**Opera Fan- Another kindred soul! First some down time for the poor fellow, he had some drama going on the roof, but I plan on it.**

**SexyKnickers – If they got together that quickly, there wouldn't be a story to it! Plus, Anna is a "frigid" woman after all.**

**Cherilynn.L'Ombre – I don't want her to be the typical "Mary Sue" girl that is easily swayed. My great-grandmother, God bless her soul, was the inspiration to the sarcasm. I remember wanting something one time when I was little. She told me, "You need that like you need a hole in zis head!" She still retained a heavy German accent. Personally, Raoul is my least favorite characters of all, hence the extra feminine in his character.**

**Bloody Phantom – Glad you stopped by! There is more to then meet the eye… Once I get back into the flow of things again.**

**FireWorkGold – Thank you so much!**

**HalfMaskedWholeHeart - Thank you for both Heart**

**Personally, thank you all for your condolences for my great- grandmother. Here's the next chapter that you have been waiting for.**

**Anna's POV**

Anger was slowly rolling off of him; I could still feel it from behind. He was currently walking behind me to make sure I did fall into any of his traps. We were quiet on the way there with the occasional sniff from me. When it got dark enough, I was, ahem, stumbling about in the dark as a blind man on a narrow plank. I nearly slipped into the water when Erik grabbed my arm, "please mind yourself. It's quite frigid and I don't know if I have anything to keep you warm enough down here." I jerked my arm out of his grasp. He paused as he watched my guide my hand along the wall; there was a quiet ruffle of fabric and the torches lit up.

"As much as I entertain the thought of you staggering through the dark, all you had to do was ask for lighting." I angrily wiped my face as stomped away; I have never felt vulnerable, especially in front of _him_. "Thank you _Monsieur_ Erik, but I was doing fine in the dark. Your eyes were efficient enough as lanterns." I had come down here once to discuss some dealings with him, as we passed an empty horse stall I asked. "You let them have Caesar back?" He nodded as we reached his boat, he carefully lowered me in. "He nearly fell into the lake. I can easily obtain him back if the need suits me." The boat started going off Erik hopping into position of rowing us into his estate.

Once we had reached the beach, I picked up my skirts and let myself out of the boat while he tied it to the ring on the wall. "Are all the traps disabled in your home before I go in? The Persian informed me that the last time he came to check on you, he was hanging upside down from the ceiling." I heard him mumble about something then turned to me. "Feel free to go in. There are a few dresses in there if you require changing out of the ball gown." He was locking the gate down and checking his traps while I went to change.

As I was walking by, I noticed the home seem to have a different feel to it. Fresh roses, the air was in bathed in expensive perfume… Christina. The poor man was going to bring her here again; then again I'm neither her nor Erik's keeper. Once inside the room, I was in pure awe. The work that was put into it since I last saw it. A swan bed, carved with the greatest detail I've seen in a bed. Beside the bed was a rope that lowered a gauzy material over the bed. Candle holders in were made into vines with flowers the beheld a candle, turning the stained glass cup that held them into a dark red color. A vanity sat across the bed and a door that led into the bathroom was beside it.

The wardrobe had been moved on the opposite of the vanity. I looked into the wardrobe to find something to wear for the night. Skimming through the night gowns, I only saw light pink, white, and cream colors. I blushed when I pulled out a filmy looking one and quickly put it back. Is there something that doesn't say… virgin.

I finally found a solid red night gown and saw it was up to my standards and would cover me well. I had laid it on the bed was going to unlace my corset when I saw that it was in the back. Knowing that Bijou had probably tied them tightly, reaching them would be a problem for me. And I can't repeat the last time I slept in the corset, I nearly suffocated which gave my staff a scare. I guess I need to suck my pride and ask for Erik's assistance.

I walked across the small hallway and knocked on Erik's door. There was the sound of an organ's keys being slammed and something crashing onto floor. I waited patiently until he had his little temper tantrum and time to probably put on his mask. Speaking of mask, I still had on mine from the gala. Before I could reach it, his bedroom door had open and he looked at me with hellfire eyes. "This has better be important Anna; I was in the middle of composing. He looked ruffled and he was still in his Red Death costume with his regular white mask on.

"Actually, it is. You see this lovely corset I'm wearing?" I waved my fingers over it. "If I don't get it off, I could die during the night due to its… confining features." It was hard to tell if Erik was shocked, embarrassed, or how awkward this was due to his mask. I hated the damn thing, masks can only show one emotion and it was hard to read people with them wearing one.

"I see… then why come to me if you were to flaunt that in my face?"

I rolled my eyes, "It's tied in the back! One of my maids ties knots like a sailor and I can't simply reach over my shoulder and undo it."

His gold eyes seem to glow a bit and he calmed down. "Turn around and let me see. Surely it cannot be as hard to untangle as those fools' knots on the catwalks."

"I wish you would leave them alone, a stage can take so much before there is a giant, gaping…" I coughed as he tightened the strings. He muttered a slight apology before I continue. "Hole on the stage. Though now that I think about it… a trap door would come in handy for dramatic effect, what do you think?" I shivered involuntarily as his gloves kept passing parts of my exposed back.

"Come to the parlor; let me see if I can see them better with more light." He let go of the strings as I followed him silently. He pulled up the ottoman out for me to sit on and he sat in the armchair as he worked on the knots. The quiet was disrupted as he spoke, "I was right about your stance."

I stiffened, then I cursed the gods that he had to walk on me and that cursed bastard of a man's interrogation. I coolly replied back to him, "You mean that droll conversation we had in my office, in which a chair of mine was destroyed in the process?"

"Yes that _conversation_, do not fool me Anna, I heard what that idiotic reporter said to you. The Berlin Prima Donna, a very high honor indeed." He managed to get a knot undone and started working on another before going on. "But infamous? What could have driven you out of such a glorious life in the spot light and into managing the life you once had."

"That Anna died as soon as she saw that people would trample her for someone younger and fresher, especially with someone she trusted help that younger Prima Donna in her spot." He moved away from the corset, he pulled at my mask's ribbon and it fell and came to rest in my lap. I felt skin on my shoulder as cool porcelain was resting against my neck. I played with the mask in my lap, the empty eyes looking up at us. "Opera was my life, I _was _Carmen, I _was_ Pamina, and I_ was_ the Prima Donna." I leaned my head against his cheek, looking for comfort of a friend.

He flinched, but didn't back away. "I don't generally like dealing with people who get too close. Warren did just that and I ended up as a joke in Berlin. I can't even hold honor to my family's name anymore because of it." The corset became loose after he worked on it while I talked. I pulled away from him, laying my mask on the ottoman, then grabbed my corset and held it close to my body. "Thank you Erik." He grabbed my free hand and gently traced my face from where the mask had scratch up my face. "There should be a salve on the vanity to help relieve the marks on your face. It helps after wearing a mask for a while."

He kissed the back of my hand and bid me good night. We walked together down the small hallway and into our separate rooms. The dress slid into the floor and I put the nightgown I had laid on the bed upon my person. I walked toward the vanity; the makeup I was wearing was smudge everywhere from the tears' path. I took handkerchief and dapped away the makeup until I saw myself again. The facial cream was where Erik had told me and put a bit on the scratch marks.

Sweet violin music started playing in the opposite room; I yawned and looked over at the bed. I rose from the vanity and walked over to the bed, laying on it and pulling the rope as a curtain of black descended on me and the bed.

**BYD: Okay, I'm not dead yet! I'm sorry I haven't put anything up yet, but I hope you like this chapter!**

**I just want to thank for those who stuck it out those two years! You guys rock!**

**Free eclairs for everyone!**

**Lou: That's my bit!**

**(Sigh)**

**Fine, read and review, no flames for the curtains are not fire resistant.  
><strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello lovelies, BYD is back and is ready to bring another chapter to life. Any who (Yoo hoo! Frozen reference…), time to reply to some reviews from.**

**SexyKnickers – Thank you so much and here is another chapter, a bit late…**

**Lou – A **_**LOT**_** late Bam.**

**BYD – Here is another chapter!**

**Inujisan – Oh she was! I loved her to pieces, and I am fairing well.**

**HalfMaskedWholeHeart**** – Thank you my dear, love your name by the way.**

**Destiny Xavier16**** – Here is another chapter! Thank you for being patient with me!**

**michellecarriveau**** – Really? Thank you, I've read a few fanfictions and I'm trying to find my own personal touch, take a new route, and hopefully find something I love.**

**Thank you for those who left condolences and I apologize for being late on producing another chapter. On with the story!**

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><p><strong>Erik's POV<strong>

After bidding Anna good night, I went back to my music room. Blank scores lay on the floor from where I threw them down when she had come knocking on my door for help. I stoop over to pick them up as I ponder of her attitude in the last hour.

It was not the Anna that usually conducted herself in the usual sense of business; she was broken in her own way, she had become infamous instead of taking fame she had worked hard to achieve. She had given her heart to a mortal man instead of the music, just like Christina is doing now. That disgusting fool had ripped off her wings, and stuck them on some trollop he had found.

I slammed the sheets on the organ's stand; anger overtook as I thought of what happened to Anna. The sadness and the betrayal were still deeply imbedded in her eyes, and she covered it up well with her bored and sometimes irritated look she would cast onto others who she felt were not worth her time. That damn critic nearly had her on knees in agony at the mere mention of what had transpired in Berlin.

I decided this would be a good time to use this anger to write a piece, I do not feel like tainting any of my Don Juan with it. As long as I known Anna, there have been a couple of times where we have talked other than business as I talked of my history with the _Garnier_ and I how I told her it was mine to begin with. Then, I thought of the time where we first met…

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><p><em><strong>October 31, 1887<strong>_

_**Third POV**_

"And I personally don't care. If there is an "Opera Ghost", I want to see if for myself." A feminine German accent rung through the almost empty theatre as a woman walked down the aisle to the stage with a man behind her. The man was sputtering, "_Mademoiselle _Barrett, that would be the most unwise! Besides, I can't simple kick out those who sleep out so you can do your… whatever it is! What would happen if-!"

Barrett held a big bag of francs in front of the man. She looked at the man a cool look, "I am not idiotic enough to put them out on the streets. I want the entire theatre emptied. If everyone leaves for the night, not only will I pay for their lodgings for the night, I will pay _all _the employees triple what they get for a Christmas bonus. Are we in agreement?"

The man nodded and took the francs, the woman continued. "I will know if you used the money for your own personal gain, so make sure everyone has enough to get a room. Treat me well and you shall receive double, betray me and I will hurt this theatre's finances badly." She watched the man scurrying off as a small smile graced her lips, unaware that a man in Box Five was looking down in disgust. He disappeared when the woman went to look up to see who was watching her.

_**11:53 p.m.**_

When the theatre was cleared, Anna with her lantern in hand and a few supplies in a bag that she had her person left her office to go to the stage where this so called "Opera Ghost" liked to stalk. If the Phantom sent this manager notes on how "his" theatre should run, then maybe he would like to have a heart to heart with her. Of course, she had forgotten it was All Hallows' Eve and did not even believe in phantoms and goblins. She climbed up on the stage and placed her lantern on an end table she placed earlier. She dragged a chair from the set and sat on it, poised gracefully. After a few minutes, she spoke clearly and loudly throughout the entire building.

"_Monsieur_ Opera Ghost, from what I hear, you like to send notes to those who run "your" theatre. I personally don't believe you are real and if you are real, come forward. I prefer to see who I am dealing with than those who hide behind a quill and parchment." She waited before muttering, "I should have known better… a small fortune wasted to talking with the air itself." She stood up, ready to exit when she felt something wrap around her throat and dragged against something solid.

As she gasped for air, the smell of parchment paper and wax wafted towards her as she struggled to get free. What felt like lips touched her ear, a baritone voice echoed, "How is this close and personal?" Anna's eyes bulged as she was let go and fell into the floor. There stood a tall man with black clothing and a stark white mask with amber eyes looking down at her distastefully. In his hands held a rope which had previously choked her, she glared at the figure furiously.

"You are no more a specter than I am a man!" The masked man seemed to sneer, "an arrogant woman that thinks nothing can touch her! You asked if I could come forward instead of hiding behind parchment. I am after all, the theatre's humble servant." He mockingly bowed before the woman. The woman was going to reply with a biting remark, but held her tongue and calmed herself.

"I merely came forward to introduce myself, I am Anna Barrett. I come from Berlin to help manage and finance this theatre. And if I am to pay you, I would rather see that I have my wealth go somewhere." She gestured to another seat she had brought up on the stage. "Sit, let us talk of business." She had already sat down and waited patiently for the Opera Ghost to do the same. His eyes watched her the entire time as he sat down.

"Talk of business? How do I know this isn't simply a trap?" He questioned, she merely made a swishing motion with her hand. "I barely know anyone in this theatre and simply an unknown patron. I plan on revealing my role after _Swan Lake_ in December, after all, end the year in a surprise and start the year fresh, no?"

She leaned forward, "Plus, I have a feeling you would have already found those who would have actually the audacity to stay here while there is another place that is offering alcohol as an incentive makes even easier."

The man snorted, "Yes. The drunken stage hands getting free hard liquor and the ballet rats looking to occupy a man's bed." The woman rolled her eyes, "I have a feeling no matter what your occupation is; everyone still craves the same thing in the end." She straightened up, "Now I understand there is your pay of 20,000 francs for every month is that correct?" The cool look had return to her eyes and her face has blank. "Along with Box Five and the occasional… suggestions make everything alright with you."

The man's lip curled into a smirk, "of course. Those who do not follow my instructions have the most unfortunate luck during the month or next if my privileges were revoked. After all, I just enjoy the finer things in life." He leaned back, making his threat most prominent to as possible. A bored look came into eye as she uttered the next phrase, "How do I know you are not some homeless man living underneath the sewers of the _Palais Garnier _simply looking for the high life, purely on the intent on making everyone else's life a living hell if he does not achieve what he wants? Or a simple stage hand looking for another way of getting a _higher_ than normal wage than what the others receive?"

A look of fury as his eyes flashed dangerously and stood up from his chair as fast as lightning. "How dare you compare me to those fools that you hire! I have never been so insulted in my life!" He started coming towards her as she sat there, not phased in the slightest. "Please sit back down." She smirked slightly, "it is nice that you would willingly come over to me personally to kill me. There must be other ways we can talk about the running of your theatre so you can tell what is on your mind besides sending multiple notes to me and Lefevre."

The two had talked, discussed, and argued until it was time to let those who had left the theatre to come back in. As she stood and stretched, she offered her hand. "It has been a pleasure on how we can deal with this. If I am not in my office, leave a note for me then. Now if you excuse me." She yawns and covers her mouth, "I must take a nap in my office before everything starts back up." The man had grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, "Thank you for taking time out of your schedule _Mademoiselle _Barrett." He let go and started to recede into the darkness before she called out again.

"You never told me your name!"

He was gone, but a whisper graced her ears.

"Erik."

**Back to Erik's POV**

As I thought about our meeting, my hand had left notes behind. As I read the notes, and even played them back, it sounded as a fast paced waltz. It played coyly as I thought about the occasional smirks of mirth she gave me as I often angrily told her an opera I did not want played or the looks of boredom I have usually have I explained how something should be and she still agrees with me. The woman simply stunned me, maybe she-

I stopped that thought right there and snarled. She is not the woman I was after! I grabbed the sheet music and stuffed it into my other works. As I fumed, I thought about what I just did and reached out for the piece of music again. It was crumpled and the notes seemed to try and escape from being crushed. I sat down on the bench and tried to smooth out the score. This is what that fop of a man did to her, stuffed her away for something new. I grabbed my quill and gave the score a name. It deserved that much after what I just thought about. I ponder a few moments before I wrote it down, the name came to me.

_Anna's Tangled Heart._

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><p><strong>I like the name, I just can't think of what else to call it. But here is another chapter! I want to try humanize him a bit in trying to understand what is going on with his business partner friend.**

**Please free to leave a review or drop me a P.M. if you want. If there is a question or if there was something about this chapter you felt was a little off, feel free to P.M. I will try to get another Truly and Utterly Beastly out soon, so yeah. Tomorrow back to college life!**

**Hope to see you soon!**

**Your writer,**

**BYD**


	13. Chapter 13

**Lou - Hello all and those who stalk in the shadows! Bam! People are still here!**

**BYD – I know this Lou, I showed you… I'm just glad the story is still alive. But I am back and I wanted to write another.**

**Lou – Plus we have a… guest for the Phantom… I am so thrilled…**

**BYD – Don't blame me. (Whispers) They are watching. Plus, you know Erik doesn't get much company.**

_**Reviewer's Review Answer**_

**Erik's guest – I am ecstatic that you are enjoying it! I do have a plan and I may make it into another series to continue. I don't want to say too much… I don't know what Er –**

**(Erik looms over Bam menacing)**

**Bam – I am just going to shut up now. Besides, I thought you were going after Anna.**

**Let's get this show on the road!**

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><p><strong>Two Weeks Later…. Present Time…. <strong>_**Palais Garnier**_

**Maggie's POV**

The last couple of weeks have been going by like a blur, and ever since I woke up in Christina's room again after the masquerade, I feel off somehow. Ginger had seen me come back into our room in the middle of the night; she mumbled something about the play and fell back asleep. I had wiped the dust off myself and just slipped into my bed. It wasn't as soft as the swan bed was, but it was the bed I was use to.

As for **Les Misérables**, I was cast as an extra as punishment for unleashing the Phantom and was still ignored by the cast. Of course I still got be move around the stage, got the occasional feeling of being watched, and no one yelling at me. So it was all good and I preferred it that way.

We were currently on break from the scene where we were trying posing ourselves for the number where the cast comes and sings "Do you Hear the People Sing". People were eating lunch or messing with their phones when I overheard Ginger being cornered by ballet corps. Usually they are grouped together rather than trying to go after a target unless they want some information desperately.

I stood up from the crate I was sitting on was heading towards the group. Some of them kept repeating the same questions and she answered the best she could, none of them even noticing before Natalie crossed her arms and snidely said.

"That's because she is the Phantom's whore, that's why he's after her. No one ever notices the pathetic filth that makes up the group. And once they show themselves, everything goes to hell because they do not know their place!" I watched Ginger to see if she would stick up for me and I was sadly disappointed when she did not even defend me about that remark. The numb feeling that I had feeling was fading fast I stood behind the ballerina. I stood up straight, put my shoulder's back, and thought about the bored look Anna would cast herself in the mirror.

"That's a rather harsh statement right there Fräulien Natalie." The entire ballet corps turned towards and some paled at the sight of me. I continued on as I stalked towards her, "even if I was, I would not be an extra in this glorious production of this musical. Unlike some people, I don't feel the urge to trample those who wish to grow in what they love to do." I stood in front of her and leaned next to her ear, "I know how you the part of Éponine. I bet it was after rubbing yourself on poor sweet Oliver, after all. He was put in charge of the casting." I pulled back and watched her face turn red.

I felt a small smirk of victory as she sputtered. Of course I just tuned out the insults as I walked away and back on my box, eyes just watched me as I resumed my spot and blankly looked around the scenery that was being used. I felt someone sit by me and I looked over at my red-headed friend as she twiddled her thumbs in shame. I didn't look at her and waited for her to speak, knowing what it might be.

"Maggie, I was going to her stop talking trash about you. I was just…" She hesitated and I looked over at her, regret in her eyes. "Scared about being cast out of your little group because you are stuck with me as a roommate? That I might tell you what had happen when I disappear at night?" I sighed, "Ginger, I don't know who to believe and I'm finding things about myself and my family that I may have never known about if I never came here. Who knows? Deacon may finally throw me out of here after this production is over with. When I'm gone, you can have the room to yourself."

She didn't say anything as I walked out of the theatre. Eyes watched me as I walked out and into the streets of Paris. After walking five blocks, I realized I stood up for myself. I went against the grain and told what I thought of how a Prima Donna had achieved her role. I would probably would regret it later, but I wouldn't, I was happy that I got that off my chest. And you know what? No one at that theatre will be missing me anytime soon. Why not stray away from the theatre and find out Paris has to offer?

I was in my own world that I had not notice that I was _definitely_ not in Paris. I had walked out of the city and into the country side. Wide plains where cattle grazed peacefully and cottages seem to dot across them. City noise and pollution didn't fill the air here; it was a place of peace and quiet. I had found a good place to rest away from the road, only it was covered by dense forest foliage.

Deeper into the wood felt like time had stopped and everything went quiet. Only the sound of my feet walking on the grass echoed and it seemed my feet were leading me somewhere on there on accord. I looked around and saw an old path or dirt road that I seem to be following; it felt as if I have known this all my life. Only it was pure luck that I found this.

The sun began to set as I came upon a construction site that seemed to plow up of what use to a large field. The house seemed to be newly built and it had someone already living there, someone just had to collect the heavy machinery. Lights lit the inside of the building through the large pane windows. I stopped and my heart dropped to my feet.

"Erik believes that would remember what this place was to you."

I turned to see Erik watching me as I gazed upon the house. I took in the surroundings before turning to him fully. I knew this place, and I pointed a spot in the driveway.

"They must fix that awful hole in the road, someone's carriage wheel will break if they keep hitting it." I stood on it and turned to him. He was dressed in black and I could only see the amber pin pricks of his eyes in the twilight. He nodded and gestured to the house.

"Anna had good taste and this new tenant liked how her house looked like." The house was an exact copy of the house that I had seen through Anna's eyes, down to the windows and the Ionic columns that graced the front porch of it. I felt him step beside me as stood by me, even with him standing by me, he felt cold to be near. "Even with her dying breath, she bequeathed her estate and wealth to the theatre. Even though I destroyed it, she knew it was my home and she wanted me to return to it." He looked up towards the stars and sighed. "I failed to do so and it was left to rot, both the theatre and her house."

I looked at him puzzled, he didn't look old. He seemed to be walking through a memory of his and I just walked up the drive way, passing by him. He told me part o f memory, he wasn't going to wait. He actually told me part of one, and I know what bit he was referring to. It was in the book, it was part of the legend, and everyone knew what happened at the end of his love story. He was helping me prepare for what I was going to experience next.

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><p><strong>Third POV<strong>

A man had his front towards a large window pane that led out to a balcony as he watch a woman who appeared to be wearing what seem to be French Revolutionary clothing on person and she was simply gazing at his new property with amazement. He tilted his head to the side to see she was mumbling something and before he could look closer, a knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter."

A man with light brown skin entered the room with some silver plated frames and something red in hand. He wore a simple brown trousers and a blue shirt that was covered in what appeared to be grease stains. He carefully laid the portraits on the desk before looking up to his friend.

"I don't understand why you wanted to save these Marcello. I'm surprised that those barbarians we hired to help rebuild home hadn't simply smashed them before I saw them." The man at the window simply looked over his shoulder at his companion. Only he could not tell his expression due to the white mask that covered the right side of his face. Amber brown eyes disregarded him as he looked down at what was laying on his desk.

He picked up a rather small frame and looked at the painting that was within. A woman with hazel eyes looked up at him as he held it. Her dark honey hair reached to her shoulders and curled delicately on her shoulders. He put down the frame to pick up the other one, with a couple that he would have guessed were the woman's family. He set it beside the first frame and looked down at an old red and black shield that was covered in dirt. The masked man removed a white handkerchief from his pocket and started to rub away the dirt. It was quiet before the man spoke up.

"Invite the woman in the driveway inside. She looks utterly confuse and seems lost." His companion looked at him with mild shock at the request. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Since when do you let women into your home?" The man looked up from his dusting, "Just let her in Thomas. She looks exhausted and is probably lost her way from a tour guide group she was leading. Once she tells you why she's here, you can return her to the city." He started working on the shield again before Thomas started sputtering, "If you are letting her in, shouldn't you do the honors?" The man didn't pause this time. "Because I know you cannot resist a woman in need of help, I also don't need her running away in terror if she sees me."

Thomas sighed as he realize that Marcello started working on his pet project and headed downstairs to let in this bizarre woman in. Surely someone would have avoided coming through the dense woods that surrounded the property, he hadn't seen the woman until he pointed it out that she was there. Still, Marcello was generous enough to leave him this estate for him once he returned back to New York. As long as he could come back and spend time there, it would be in Thomas's name.

He walked down the drive way Maggie had snapped out of it to see Thomas coming towards her and offered the invitation inside the house. While upstairs, Marcello was wiping away the last of the dirt that had caked the shield. A bear stood up on its hind legs, blindly swiping the air. Satisfied with what he got off, he rubbed the top part gently to reveal a family name that was tied to the old home and was rusted.

He blew the remaining dirt off and smiled, please to see that the family's name was still engraved on it.

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><p><strong>Please free to leave a review or drop me a P.M. if you want. Reviews encourage me to continue and I want to finish this story. And if you are interested what I have planned, just ask! :)<strong>

**Hope to see you soon!**

**Your writer,**

**BYD**


	14. Chapter 14

**Lou – Why do we have stalkers? I swear, you attract them Bam. -_-"**

**Bam – Not my fault! Besides, you are being rude by putting that out there.**

**Lou – Whatever you say, as long as I don't have a noose around my neck, do what you want.**

**Bam – Anyway… lovely viewers, ignore my lovely, friend here. I welcome you to come and read. (Points thumb at Lou) Anything you want to say to him go for it! But time to answer reviews!**

**Erik's guest – That is a relief to hear! Though leaving it to M. Erik makes Lou a bit nervous. But I do tend to answer reviews if they are left. Enjoy this next installment!**

**Maggie's POV**

As I was looking at the mansion in front of me, I completely tuned out the noise of gravel crunching as tall man approached me. Erik had vanished from my sight as the man tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped and had to look up at him. Emerald eyes were looking down into mine as I craned my neck to look up at him.

The man looked like he was covered in grease from working on something mechanical and his skin looked permanently tanned. He wrapped an arm my shoulder and started to lead me into the house. He was much warmer than the air outside which had drastically dropped as the night was advancing. I shivered as led me down the driveway.

"What is a woman in French Revolutionary doing on private property this fine evening?" The man smiled as looked towards me. "Forgive me for not introducing myself, my name is Thomas Oded. And you are?"

I watched as we got closer, my gaze still focused on the mansion. I cleared my throat and glanced over at him, "my name is Maggie Weiss. I'm sorry for trespassing, I got lost in thought." A gust of wind blew against me and I huddled closer to the man. "What was the low for tonight? This costume isn't cutting it for this kind of weather right now." We eventually reached the doors that lead inside, he opened the door and into Anna's old home.

The stone floor was checkered with black and white, polished and new. Gold inlay glistened in the right places in the railings of the stairwell and a fresh coat of light gold paint decorated on the wall. Middle-Eastern art that was framed put some color in the room. The air inside was delightfully a tad warmer in there than outside. Thomas walked ahead with his shoes still on; I quickly shucked my shoes off to avoid tracking mud inside the newly furbished home.

I messed with the buckles on the shoes while he ran into the kitchen to put on a kettle of mint tea. My socks skidded across the floor, I quickly checked around for him. The inner kid took over me as I ran a bit and slid across the floor in socks. Of course I slipped and landed on my back, and luckily didn't hit anything delicate or expensive. I thought I heard a baritone chuckle and whipped my head towards the noise. I looked towards the second landing to see nothing was there and stared at it for a few seconds.

"Miss Weiss, the tea is ready."

"Coming Mr. Oded." I stood up and walked into the kitchen, feeling eyes watching my every move.

As I passed the arch that led into the kitchen, Thomas nearly dropped the tea pot as he fully took me in. My eyebrows furrowed as I checked my outfit for any rips or tears. I cocked my head as glared at my face. A sense of unease filled me as I took a step back.

"Uh… It has been a real pleasure Mr. Oded, but I have to head back into Paris before morning."

"Sorry, I had no intention of making you uncomfortable. Please sit, my friend would be appalled if I treated a guest that way." He pulled a chair out for me, waiting for me to go ahead and sit down, which I did. He sat down across from me and poured both our cups with a minty smelling tea.

"Is your friend out of town? Honestly, I just needed to walk away from something before things got out of control. I wasn't aware my feet were taking me when I was focus on many things on my mind." I took a sip of the semi-sweet tea.

He rolled his wrist, "he his enamored with a project right now. There were a few things left behind and he was dusting a red family shield that the workers nearly broke." I choked on my tea and tapped my chest to clear my throat.

A look of concern crossed Thomas' eyes, "are you alright Miss Weiss? Is the tea too bitter?" I tapped my chest with my fist and swallowed it. My eyes watered a bit, "please, just call me Maggie and it just went down the wrong tube."

We sat in awkward silence for a while, sipping tea and talking about Paris some. I told him what I was doing in Paris and that I was going to the Garnier. And he in turn told me some of the adventures him and his friend had taken around the world. He cleared his throat and took away our empty tea cups. After drinking all that tea, I had to find the bathroom somewhere. "Hey Mr. Thomas, is there a bathroom I can use?" His head popped through the kitchen archway, he pointed upstairs.

"Take a door to the second door to the right in the hallway. The ground floor bathroom is still being worked on. We will head back to Paris after you come down." He backed into the kitchen I headed towards the grand staircase. I looked at it in awe as I thought about the costume Anna/I wore to the masquerade, the dress covering the stairs with each step we took. I sighed and followed Thomas' instructions how to get there.

The top floor looked like it was done with its restoration, it didn't have furniture yet and I suppose they will get to it eventually. Still, it feels so odd to walk through the same house that I did some hundred years ago. I'm just expecting some servant to come by me with fresh linens.

I found that bathroom but paused as I heard sounds of a violin echoing through the empty hallway. I left the bathroom and went to pursue where the soft melody was playing. It had a dignify air, with a slight playful edge to it, and it was just the right pace, I couldn't place how fast or slow it was going. I was at the door from where the music was coming from when a hand landed on my shoulder. In the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Erik looking down at me with molten rage; only it was Thomas who was leading me away from I think was the music room.

"The car is ready." He had his arm around my shoulder again, a little more forcefully, pulling me away from the door. I kept looking over my shoulder towards the door and the last time I peeked, Erik was guarding the door as Thomas tugged me along to the car. I just grabbed my shoes by the door, not pausing to put them on. We entered the stable, which housed three expensive looking cars.

He grabbed a key from his pocket and unlocked the door to a black sleek, British car. I climbed in carefully in the car and knocked the dirt from my shoes from putting them in the car. I glanced over at the dashboard to see it was 5:30 already in the morning.

"Graves is going to kill me." I groaned and covered my face in my hands. "It's not enough that I'm late, I skipped out on curfew on top of it." The garage door opened and the car smoothly crunched down the driveway. As we left the house, I saw his eyebrows furrow, but he said nothing about it.

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><p>The car ride was awkward again and it took us two hours to get us back into the city. Light started to shine through as he pulled the car up in front of the building, I saw pull a white envelope out from his back pocket. Before I even touched the door handle, he was there, offering his hand, and helping me out of the car. Some of the students that live off the Garnier had mouth wide open as I grabbed my boots.<p>

I walked on ahead with Thomas behind me, leading him to the grand doors to the Garnier. As I open the door to him, he was staring in amazement at the structures and the designs in general.

"My God and this is a college now for fine arts?" I pulled on his elbow and gently led him around.

I nodded, "Dean Deacon who is the head of this establishment had it restored to the way it would have formerly looked. Provided, making some adjustments for it to qualify as a campus. And of course the statue out front is to commemorate the Phantom of the Opera. He is the reason most of the students who want to travel abroad and go to a college with stature comes here. Though, you better have patron backing up with some of the fees."

He paused, "I'm sorry, but did you say Phantom of the Opera? Wasn't he the one who set it on fire in the first place? If he hadn't had done it, than the building wouldn't have the extensive restoration to it."

I paused and pondered about it, "He is part of this history. Some people are sympathetic towards him, some loathe him for what he did, and there are some who discovered the joy of opera because of him." I turned towards him and made a grand gesture, "they want to become the best they can be! They aspire to become the new Christine Daaé of the twenty-first century!" I twirled and sighed, "But tread lightly, you never know who wants you to push you out of the spotlight…" My heart fell into my feet about what I just said.

I shook off the feeling and faked a smile, "come on, they're about to start rehearsal. Just so know, you are getting a better look in here than the tours during the summer term." I pulled him through the double doors to the theatre to see everyone divided among their groups, rehearsing parts.

He looked up towards the ceiling and around the theatre, "how… this should be national monument. I don't understand how they could over look such a majestic building."

"Technically, just last year they made it into a historical site." I saw Lou barreling towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. He didn't let go of me until I clapped his shoulder.

"Let… me… go… need… air!" He put me down and wrapped an arm around me. "So who is your new boyfriend?"

My face flushed red in embarrassment and cleared my throat, "he's not my boyfriend, and he is just dropping back here. But um, this is Thomas Oded and this Mr. Oded is Lou Molyneux, editor and writer to the _Theatre Critic_." A look of shock came over his face as he looked at Thomas.

When Thomas held his hand out, Lou started to shake it enthusiastically. "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine! To meet one of the world's most famous –"

"_**WEISS!**_" My name echoed through the theatre, stopping all discussion and looking in my direction. I saw Graves stomping towards me. I moved away from the men and stood ahead of them in the aisle. I lowered my head looked towards the ground. The short was out of breath and I could sense his beady little eyes glaring at me.

"How many times must I tell you if you cause any more trouble than you are actually worth, I will throw you out of the theatre myself! How dare you show up late for rehearsal and not even coming back for curfew! And what have you done with the costume!" He picked at my sleeve, "This costume is absolutely ruined!" He dropped it and continued his rant, right before he raised his hand to probably smack me until Deacon came up to see what the commotion was.

"All of us, in my office now." He cut his eyes to me and we followed him to his lavish office which doubled as his apartment, should he ever need it. Lou and I sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk as Thomas stood on my left side, keeping Graves away from me. I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder comfortably as Deacon sat down in his chair.

"Now that we are here in private, can someone please explain what is going on?" _M._ Deacon clasped his hands together on his desk and looked at the three of us. I was about to speak until Graves spoke up.

"Weiss was late. She was not in the dormitories, showed up late for rehearsal this morning, and skipped out on practice yesterday! Ever since this nonsense has started, she has been nothing but trouble! I don't understand why you don't expel her!" He was red in the face and was panting, pointing a sausage finger at me.

Deacon raised an eyebrow at me, "we will talk about this later when we do not have visitors on the property Mortimer. Now, return to your actors. We have a big show to put on and yelling at one of them is not going to solve anything." Graves snarled and left the office with the door being slammed loudly.

He glanced over at Lou, "_M_. Molyneux. As much as we appreciate your articles on our establishment and our students, I must ask you to refrain from doing an article on this… little outburst from your paper."

Lou got up and dusted off his pants, his signal that he was about to go, "Of course _M._ Deacon. I wouldn't dare dream of writing about something this. If something like this does go on again, I'm afraid I would have to report it to police. Violence against students like that does not promote an open minded theatre. I was just searching for _Mademoiselle _Weiss here. Her friend contacted me about her disappearing during break and was concerned for her safety. Now that she is back, my mind is at ease. Hopefully we will meet on more pleasing matters." Lou shook Deacon's hand and left the office, leaving me and Thomas in the office.

To me, it seemed like he was ignoring him for the moment and concentrated solely on me. He lean back in his chair and covered his face with one hand, he sighed deeply and straightened himself up. His hand moved away from his face and looked at me.

"Magdalana, this getting out of control, honestly I don't know what to do with you now. You were a model student until this nonsense started up. Breaking into a forbidden room, leaving during a practice, leaving school grounds with a costume without returning it back to where it belongs… these are just stacking up and I can't let the students think that if you can do it, than they surely can."

Here's my chance to tell him then, "first of all, I was thrown in there against my own will by some of the students who were intoxicated on school grounds. Secondly, I was being berated in front of my own peers. I –"

He held up his hand, "enough. We will talk about this tomorrow, since you are clearly exhausted from your adventure. You are suspended from practice today and are to stay on school grounds. If you so much as move a big toe on the pavement outside, you will be expelled on the spot. Are we clear?"

I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands, "yes sir. I completely understand the terms of my punishment." I stood and walked towards the door; Thomas pulled me back and put a slip of paper in my hand. "If you should ever need me, here is my number for you to contact me. Sleep well _Mademoiselle_ Weiss." I gripped his number and thanked him. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I heard his voice greet Deacon. I left down the corridor to head to my room and luckily I bypassed all the students and got up to my room with no problem.

I shucked the ruin costume off my body and slipped on some lounge clothes. Exhaustion was catching up and I flopped on bed and curled around one of my pillows. Only to be cut on something sharp. I pulled my arm back and saw I sliced my arm on rose thorns.

As red drops fell on the rose, I realized it was a black rose. As I glazed at it, I felt a comforting hand brush my hair away from my face. A deep, baritone voice was slowly lulling me to sleep and as my eyelids shut, a lipless mouth had kissed my temple; completely pulling me into a dark world.

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><p><strong>Bam – Thank you for reading! Please to be sure to leave a review or if you have a problem, send me a PM. If you have questions, feel free to leave them in the reviews. You never know who has the same question.<strong>

**Lou – But no flames please! The theatre can't afford new curtains at the moment!**

**Your humble writer,**

**BYD**


	15. Chapter 15

**I just want to thank those who favorite and are following this story! I really appreciate those who come by and check it out, so really thank you! Since nothing was posted, I suppose you guys want to see more Anna than Maggie. That's fine! Time to head back! And I'm going with **_**Don Juan**_** for this part, one because that and **_**The Point of No Return**_** are the first scenes that I've ever saw of the Phantom of the Opera. I have feels for it, and without it, I many have never found the joys of this wonderful book and the music.**

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><p><strong>Anna's POV<strong>

I was watching rehearsals for _Don Juan_ from Box one with crossed arms and staring intently at Christina. Ever since the night of the masquerade she has been shaken and easily startled. Below, Raoul and the managers were talking to a chief of police on how to catch Erik. I sighed and pinched the ridge of the nose. I felt a presence behind me; I turned to see none other than the Persian's jade eyes looking at.

"Nadir dear friend, it has been quite some time since I've seen you. How are things with one going on?"

He stepped up beside me to watch the cast scrambling about on stage. The Daroga would often slink around backstage to help manage Erik if there was fluke during the actual performance, because Erik would pull tricks on the cast member who managed to blow it for the rest of the cast. But Nadir and I got along; there would be the occasional spat on how we could counteract Erik's little pranks.

"It has been going well, though it is has been disturbingly quiet. Not even scaring the ballet corps with his shadow, which is usually his favorite trick for them. Has there even been a note that he sent?"

I shook my head, "nothing. He hasn't even come to my office to put what he thought about the new chandelier. I'm starting to grow concern for his well-being." Below us Carlotta was causing the classic Prima Donna temper tantrum was threatening to walk out because of the mess Christine had brought upon the theatre.

The silent Daroga nudged me with a small parcel that he held within in hands. "This was delivered at my home last week. Since my last visit, Erik was hostile towards me and I thought it would probably be best if you went down there when you go to deliver his monthly wage." I took and saw it was probably something fragile, it was light and the parcel was flat enough to either hold a mask or some jewelry.

"You're still receiving parcels on his behalf?" He nodded his head as I continued to speak. "Not that's a problem, I'll be sure that he –"

"_Mlle._ Barrett! _Mlle._ Barrett where are you?" _Monsieur_ Richard was yelling from below looking for me, I sighed in irritation and mumble to myself, "I really wish Erik would kill me so I would get away from this madness." I smiled at Nadir and patted his arm, "I will make sure it reaches his hands only. But please, get me backstage quickly! The managers hate it back there."

Nadir grabbed my arm and managed to maneuver me far away from the manager, which they gave up the chase. I looked around to see he had brought us back near wardrobe. Seamstresses were looking at us as we passed them, I saw him pass a few francs to the head seamstress, who smiled and snapped at her workers to stop gawking at us. The ballet corp. was in the final stages of stretching before practicing the dance for their scene.

I heard a slam of a stick and turn to see Madame Giry talking her daughter to take over with the drills. The Persian had quietly disappeared as I walked towards my office with Mme. Giry tagging along with me. I glanced over at her as I unlocked the door to my office. As the lock tumbles rescinded, I entered into the room and gestured an invitation inside.

Once we were both inside, I locked the door, and blew out a sigh of relief. I put the parcel on my desk next to Erik's pay for the month. Antoinette had covered my mirror in my office with a large cloak I kept to have some privacy from the masked man when dealing with other patrons. Once satisfied, she sat in one of the chairs in front of my desk as I slowly inched into mine. The drama around the theatre was incredibly tense after the masquerade, just like the calm before a storm.

"I suppose the unannounced meeting is about business than? It is rather unnerving when you suddenly leave your daughter in charge of corp. while you come to see me. Let me guess… you want me to talk to _him_?"

"You must talk some sense into him! We both know this runs deeper than just a performance of his work. He has become obsessed with Christina that-" I cut her off, knowing this was about. She wanted to put the stop of this before he did something that destroyed the entire theatre.

"The Persian has already informed that he wanted me to go down there to check on him. Erik has not come to my office to pick up hisbelongings for the month and gets rather annoyed when his schedule is thrown off by a minor thing. It was my plan to go down there once everyone had nestled down for the night or left." There was a knock on my door, my brow furrowed as I got up to answer the door.

The two managers were there, eager smiles plastered on their faces as they shuffled in. Moncharmin came forward, excitement clearly evident. I schooled my face into a blank mask, which quietly killed the mood from both managers. Richard stepped forward before Moncharmin could make the situation worse. Richard was more shrewd than his partner, which told there was some good or bad news they were about to share.

"_Mademoiselle_ Barrett forgive the intrusion, but we came to introduce a new patron and his fiancée into our business-"

I cut him off, "you run a scrap yard. I'm the one that handles the business of this theatre, unfortunately we have to work together to keep it together." Moncharmin mumbled it was scrap metal business and Richard forced a smile on his face.

"We are here because we thought you might be please to hear that two representatives from the Berlin State Opera are here to see the show. And since you came over from Germany, we thought you might recognize the famous Lisa Roma!"

My entire body tensed as Lisa Roma came rushing towards me and crushed me into a tight hug. I didn't respond, her golden hair was pulled back into an intricate braid, and her cornflower blue eyes looked up at with admiration as she pulled away. Her wardrobe had changed into Parisian high fashion to blend in this strange country. She was Berlin's Christina, except she probably is being stalked and manipulated by something more dangerous than the Phantom.

"Anna it has been forever since I've seen you! So much has happened when you left! Did you know that I was Leonore in _Fidelio_? Oh! And Warren asked me to marry him next spring! See?" She flashed her engagement ring, the very same one I had left when I fled from Berlin. I gave her a small smile, slowly drawing myself away from this conversation mentally, but then she asked, "Are you going to be performing anytime soon? You were amazing as Carmen!"

The managers and Madame Giry looked at me, and then at the girl, Richard laughed, "my dear girl! Anna does not participate in any of the operas! She helps manage finances and the shows, besides; she has said nothing about being Carmen." I didn't say anything but stare ahead at the threat that loomed in the doorway. He was oozing arrogance as walked through my office like he owned it and I was lucky enough to see it.

Warren Helmer, con-man and a predator that preyed on the aspiring stars that will help him gain wealth and recognition he does not need. He was tall, dark, and had beady eyes that seem to stare right into your soul for a weak spot. The man played on my hopes and aspirations when I was the Prima Donna, the height of my career. He came in quietly, dazzling me with exquisite jewelry, dresses from far-away lands, and his stories from his journeys.

Helmer was a true gentleman as he courted me and told me we would tour Europe together. Singing at all the famous opera houses, and with the money we would achieve by traveling abroad, we would start our lives together. We were at my parents' estate when he purposed to me with the engagement ring that was wrapped around Lisa's little finger. Of course, after that, everything started going downhill.

"Anna, such a delight to see such a treasure that is residing in Paris, we were ever worried what happened you after the night of _Don Giovanni_." His voice was deep and slow, a façade to show that he was the exact opposite of that when in private. But I remember that night well; I was made into a laughing stock and was nearly killed by this man! Now here he was again, playing the sweet lover to this girl who had no clue how dirty this _scum_ really was. I will not show him I fear him, if I show fear, Lisa's life may be in peril.

I relaxed visibly and smiled warmly at him, "dear Warren. It is so good to see an old friend happily engaged to Berlin's next young star! I must say we must catch up some time, as _dear_ friends." I had a feeling Madame Giry might catch on to the edge of that word, I need to get him out of here. "I hope the managers will be treating you dinner. It is getting awfully late and you do not want to roam Paris without knowing the lay of the land no? Also, I was in the middle of conference with Madame Giry about new ballet shoes. It was a pleasure to see you again and I hope to see you at the show! Good-bye and enjoy the sights Paris has to offer you!" Lisa wrapped me into a hug before following the managers out the door; Warren shot me a poisonous look, silently telling me this wasn't over. I watched him leave and I locked the door as left.

I was mentally shutting down as the terrors and horrors washed over me. My legs started to buckle, my color draining from my face. I was leaning up against the door, blocking all noise from in and out of the room. I heard Madame Giry's voice mumble and touching my arm, sending the last bit of my bravery to face Warren away into a dark abyss that echoed his dark laughter. His laughter and Giry's call for help was the last thing I heard before passing out.

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><p><strong>Meet Warren, not a nice man. I'll go deeper into their history next chapter as to why Anna nearly had a breakdown like that. Warren and Lisa were a few of the characters that were briefly mentioned in some of the chapters, but they are here this.<strong>

**Please review and maybe share this, who knows? Whatever your heart desires!**

**Your humble writer,**

**BYD**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you all for those had followed and favorite! And since there were no reviews posted, I guess we can go on with the story again… It's getting awfully lonely…**

**WARNING: ABUSE AND BLOODY SCENE UP AHEAD!**

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><p><em><strong>Berlin State Opera House – Berlin, Germany<strong>_

_**March 5**__**th**__** 1886**_

I was back in Berlin… I was on stage bowing to the crowd that was throwing roses on stage as we finished _Tannhäuser_. The entire ensemble were bowing with me as we onstage, the calls for an encore dazzled me as I smiled and we slowly retracted backstage. I was ignoring the cries of praise as I went back to my dressing to room to change out of the clothing I was wearing for my character's funeral, Elisabeth's I mean. Everyone was loitering around backstage, fans and lovers alike were littered about, hoping to take someone to bed tonight. I was smiling politely as I pushed by and finally reached my dressing room.

I slammed the door as soon as I was in and the smile left my face. I was ready to take this make-up off, this dress, and retire for the evening. Flowers of every kind decorated my room, covering my cosmetic table, the fainting couch, and even the floor. It was as if the funeral from the stage followed me into my dressing room. I walked across the room and sat at my dressing table and began to take the flowers that were in my hair out. After that was done, the dress was the next to come off and get into a simpler dress. I sat at the table and studied one of the flowers that were sticking out of the vase; I prodded at it until a knock interrupted me.

"Enter." I shot a look of anger towards the door and let it melt away as the face of the manager stuck his head in. He always reminded me of a St. Bernard dog, but he took care of everything to a tee; so I really couldn't complain when he popped on by after the show. He knew I had a sweet spot for the box of chocolate he would always bring when the performance was up to expectation. And as usual, the box of chocolate was in his hand as put it on the table.

I smiled pleasantly and stood up, "_Herr_ Hans, I'm pleased that the show was up to your standards." I curtseyed and he shook his head, "Please _Fräulein _Barrett, you have already honored me by bringing the crowds to the theatre! I just came by to introduce you to a dear friend of mine, and he has been an admirer of yours ever since you came and took over Heidi's place… she was right all along when she said you would be perfect for position."

I laughed as another person appeared through the door; dark blue eyes drank in the scene as Hans flushed red and rubbed the back of his head. I motioned the man into my room, and my heart dropped as he walked in. The man was tall, had long dark blond hair that was tied at the nape of his neck, and his attire was very dashing. In his hands were Hydrangeas, which was a little odd since I never got those little flowers before.

He offered the small flowers to me and I gratefully took them, a slight blush gracing my cheeks. He bowed and smiled, he locked eyes with mine. "It is a pleasure to see such a treasure grace the stage of Berlin! But please forgive me for not introducing myself, my name of Warren Helmer." He kissed the back of my hand and I merely giggled as he did…

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><p><em><strong>September 8<strong>__**th**__** 1886**_

Ever since Warren introduced me to him, he has not left my side, for the exception for me to rehearse and to address to my needs. We were working on _Macbeth _by Verdi; I was working with the director with the aria Lady Macbeth was supposed to sing when she received Macbeth's letter. He was critiquing slightly what needed to be done when something wet covered me. I saw that I was covered in green paint, my mouth scrunched up as I looked up above me. Two painters were trying to hold back the laughter and I heard them one of mutter witch, than they started bursting out laughing.

I flew off the handle and started yelling at them, asking what they were doing. The dress for Lady Macbeth was ruined and didn't know if the paint would come out of my hair. I stormed off stage, a green smear following me as I went to my dressing room to see if I would clean myself from this mess. I heard steps from behind me as I was suddenly pushed against the wall with lips claiming over mine.

Warren pulled back and smiled impishly at me, I was still fuming from being painted from above. "Warren not now, I'm green and I want to clean up." I nudged against him, trying to avoid getting paint on his clothing. "No one is here to see us if that is what you are afraid of." He tried to kiss my lips again and I gave him my cheek. "I said no! I want to get rid of this paint." He stared at me, his eyes growing a bit darker. "But you look lovely in green, it really beings out your eyes."

My eyebrow twitched and I used all my strength to push him away, he stumbled a little looking shocked. I panted and I turned to him, green hand prints were imprinted on his chest. "I'm sorry Warren, but I do not want this paint to set and I want to get this dress cleaned up if that is possible. Now if you will excuse me, we will talk about this later." I picked up my now stiff skirt and headed towards my dressing room, feeling Warren's glare boring into my back. Leaving a mark on the wall; everyone saw that we had a slight encounter.

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><p><em><strong>May 11<strong>__**th**__** 1887**_

Warren had purposed to me on New Year's Eve and I gladly accepted, which everyone had celebrated, thinking I would never marry. I had told him my desire to continue my career outside of Germany and he had wanted to explore Europe which sparked our growing love for each other to blossom. Plans had been made and we worked to gather the funds to do it.

But that all changed…

After the engagement, he began to act differently from the caring and besotted to distant and demanding. He would interrogate me if I came home later than usual because of practice or if a party that Hans asked to attend to help advertise the theatre. And if he did not have work to do, he would watch me practice with the tenor. Warren would become jealous fast and started to hang backstage, glaring at the poor tenor if he so misplaced his hands on my person. He has even reached the point to where if I think there is a problem with the score, Warren tells the conductor it is right and that I was becoming big headed. Everyone started whispering that I was losing my touch in getting what I wanted.

I did not want to go to the small apartment that Warren and I shared. At first, if I arrived home late, he would be there, sitting in a chair asking why I was returning home so late. No matter how hard I tried to explain it to him that this was part of my career. This would lead up to an argument and he would storm out. Leaving me frustrated and feeling awful for leaving him to worry during the night. I think he must have thought I was cheating on him with an estrange lover.

With _Don Giovanni _coming, I was working hard and I had gotten the part of Donna Elvira, which was not the part I wanted to do. I was disappointed with the part and when I had gotten to the apartment, the strong smell of beer assaulted my sense of smell. I covered my nose, "Warren? Did you go out drinking?" It was late and he was sitting in the same chair, his clothing in shambles, his eyes red from looked like lack of sleep. He didn't answer me, concerned I stepped in front of him, "Are you okay? Do you want me to-" I was on the wooden floor as he stood over me, I touched my cheek to feel heat emitting from it.

"Are you done whoring yourself to get what you want? Is that how you got to be the _Prima Donna_? Is that how you feel empowered? By cuddling up to that cur of a manager you always get what you want! Women who are in theatre are always easy to bed because they are always to be willing to crawl into bed with those who offered better parts!" I scooted back, to get away from him, fear becoming evident in my eyes. I was stopped when his foot pinned my ankle underneath it, he started adding pressure underneath. I squirmed, trying to getting to far from this mad man.

"Don't lie to me! That look of fear is proof that you do! I should snap your ankle to just keep you here!" I started to scream as the pain built up in my ankle, I gritted my teeth and pushed the words through my mouth. "If you do that, how can we continue to build are funds to travel? They will become suspicious if I do not show up tomorrow!" He stopped and ponders about it for a second, then lifted his foot and grabbed me by the arms. "You will regret this Anna, mark my words. Continue to make me furious will be the end of you!" He shook me with enough force to feel like I had gained whiplash. I nodded before he threw me into the floor and stomped his way into our bedroom.

I merely curled up to where I was and cried myself into a nightmare world. Fleeing this forsaken building and never look back was an option I was considering at the time.

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><p><em><strong>June 15th 1887<strong>_

Warren was starting to become drunk constantly and the blows were becoming harder to conceal from the cast and crew. I started doing my theatre make-up and hair first thing in the morning to avoid people looking at the marks that were left behind. Tonight was the night I was going to flee, I was determined. I had taken the money out of our honeymoon fund and clothing packed to make travelling easier and lighter on me. Before the performance, I had hid the satchel underneath some loose floorboards at Warren's place. I no longer call it my home.

During the performance, I noticed Hans and Warren were not in their usually boxes and it concerned me greatly because they were there when the show started. Dread and worry formed a stone in stomach and felt like it grew larger with each act that passed. Once the final act had been executed, everyone applaud and the cast bowed gratefully.

Heidi who played as _Donna Anna_, she had become a fast friend, was walking back with me to my dressing room so we could help each other help out of our costumes. We were laughing about how Sven tried to sway us with his charm during rehearsals, as we opened the door; we were greeted by a gory sight. Heidi let loose a blood curdling as I paled and stepped back from it. Stage hands and actors came rushing to us, seeing what we were seeing.

A body was lying in a pool of its own blood; a large dresser had landed on top and crushed the poor person into the carpet of the dressing room. On the mirror, written in blood, was the word 'whore'. Stage hands and actors started pulling us away from the scene. Heidi had fainted on Sven and I know my eyes were wide open at what had happened. I learned later from that the person that been crushed was Hans.

The police was called and I was questioned about it since it had occurred in my dressing room. I explain to them that Hans was a good friend of Warren and me; that I had nothing against the manager who ran the theatre since I started as chorus girl. I even told them that I saw Hans in his box before the show. They didn't question me about Warren as they asked the others about what had happened. They interrogated me into the early morning asking the same questions over and over again before I was able to go home.

My body was exhausted and I felt postponing my escape until the vibe at the apartment felt off. My only guess was that Warren had gone to the pub after staying for the first act. It was oddly quiet until I saw Warren standing next to 'his chair', holding one of clay angels that he made before he met me. It was obvious he was strung up on something stronger. Alcohol and a cooper smell hung heavy in the air. The fire place was lit up and I could see blood stains in his clothing. My own blood grew cold, he grinned maliciously at me as turned towards me.

"Anna dear you are home at last, I was beginning to think you had been arrested for murdering your poor lover in cold blood. Oh wait, that was me that murder him. Such a pity that such a good friend had to be killed because you were eager to crawl into his bed." He started to pat the base of the angel in his hand, "why would you murder him if he was your friend?! Hans was already married and I was engaged to you! I would have never dared to deceive you!" I said and started to back up; I ran to the front door and was grabbed by the hair. I was slammed into the ground, his foot on my stomach.

"You know, it's time for another angel Anna. After all, that maid you hired to help around the house destroyed one of them when she was dusting the shelf. Belle was such a beautiful, soprano girl; it was so hard to get ashes once she passed away. Do you know Catholics think it is completely pagan to burning your corpse after death? It was hard proving that she wanted to burn, even after her parents wanted her buried."

When those angels came into the apartment he had about six of them, I always thought it was strange that they full names… oh God in heaven… The force of his was crushing the air out of my stomach, I managed to grit out. "Those girls… they were living girls! You said it was a hobby, that –" He pulled me up by the hair.

They were clay angels; he put them on the bookshelf proudly and each one of them was different, down to facial expression and how they stood. He said he named them because he modeled them after friends of his mother. The girl's ashes, the clay angels… he had mixed them together to hide that he had killed them!

"They were spoiled! They were nothing but cheap whores! The theatre turned those poor, innocent angels into _**succubi**_!" He twisted my hair around his hand and showed me the angel's face. In an eerily calm voice, madness was present in his eyes. "But don't worry, I shall cleanse you of the impurities that munz-watcher of a manager put you through. I shall make you an angel and you shall ascend to the heavens."

He grabbed the angel and raised it to bash against my skull. I had tackled him into the stairwell; he grunted and dropped the angel. I kneed him in his groin and he let go of my hair, he went to grab his privates while I picked up the statue. I held her by the base, "Warren, stop this madness. I won't tell anyone about this if you let me go."

He let out a breathy laugh, "I cannot allow that. I need a _Prima Donna_ from Germany and then my collection will be complete! You shall be the center of the girls after the spirit you have shown!" He lunged at me with a snarl before I brought down the angel against his head. He collapsed into the floor with a heavy thud. I hesitantly checked his neck for a pulse and was relieved that I hadn't killed the madman.

I dropped the angel; its wings were smashed off as I fled to the floor board that had hidden my bag. I pried up the boards, relieved that he hadn't fixed the board in ages. I didn't have time to change out of the costume as ran to the train station. I paid my ticket and took the train that was departing at that moment, no matter the price. I boarded the train easily, but he train conductor was shocked to see me fully costumed and just handed me back the ticket. No one bothered me as I cried into my hands, the shock I could have died tonight hitting me hard.

But I was safe at the moment; he wouldn't know I had fled on train. I know he would check my family home, saying I had gone insane and attacked him. None of this was my concern. I was free, I was safe, and I am done with having a man control the aspects of my life.

I fell asleep after I had exhausted myself, ready for a new life that this train was going to take me.

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><p><strong>A brief explanation on Warren's hobby incase I didn't make it clear (Just to be on the safe side, I don't know if it was okay or not). Warren takes the girls he preyed on in different countries and does the same spiel he did with Anna. Then, once he has them in his sights and had them cowed, he kills them and has them cremated to hide their body. And why not make them pretty after death? He takes their ashes and mixes it with clay, then model that piece of clay after the dead girl so he can always have his 'angels' close by.<strong>

**It's a filler on why this man makes Anna faint with fright, why this man thinks he can do what he wants even when she knows what he does. The next chapter is coming out soon and I would really appreciate a review. I love interaction!**

**Your humble writer,**

**BYD**


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